LoFi Photo 101 - An Introduction to Pinhole Photography

Mentor: Brian Potts
Venue: CPB Lighthouse, Kottivakkam, Chennai
Dates: November 22–23, 2025
Duration: Two-Day Hands-on Workshop

About the Workshop

In a world of instant images, this workshop invites you to slow down and reconnect with the origins of photography.

Over two immersive days, you’ll craft your own pinhole camera and explore how light alone can draw an image — no lens, no electronics, just time and chemistry. Working with both film and paper, you’ll learn to expose, develop, and watch your images appear as ghostly negatives in the darkroom, then transform them into positive prints and/or digital scans.

This is photography at its most tactile — a hands-on blend of craft, science, imagination, and magic, linking the earliest principles and methods of image-making with a contemporary perspective. You’ll leave not only with a set of unique handmade prints but also with a deeper appreciation for slowing down, observing, and creating with intent.

What You Get

• Your own handcrafted pinhole camera

• All materials provided: X-ray film, silver-gelatin paper, and darkroom chemistry

• Access to the CPB Darkroom and all equipment

• Personal mentorship from artist-educator Brian Potts and the CPB team

• A final pop-up exhibition and group review of everyone’s work

Workshop Schedule

📅 Saturday, November 22

• 10:00 AM — Welcome and introductions

• 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM — Camera Obscura: theory and the art of slow seeing

• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM — Lunch break

• 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM — Build your own pinhole camera + load film and paper

📅 Sunday, November 23

• 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM — Image-making session at Besant Nagar Beach

• 10:00 AM — Group breakfast

• 11:30 AM — Darkroom developing demonstration

• 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM — Develop, contact print, and scan your images

• 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM — Lunch break

• 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM — Pop-up exhibition and group review

About the Mentor

Brian Potts is an Australian artist based in Melbourne, working primarily in photography with additional practices in painting and printmaking.
His work explores the space between representation and abstraction, fascinated by photography’s relationship with time, movement, and memory.

Over more than 30 years of teaching across Australia and India, Brian has guided students from sophisticated studio practices to alternative fine art approaches. He holds a BA in Fine Art Photography (Prahran College/Victoria University) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Tertiary Education.

Workshop Details

• 📍 Location: CPB Lighthouse, Kottivakkam, Chennai

• 📅 Dates: Saturday, November 22 & Sunday, November 23, 2025

• 🕙 Timing: Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Sunday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

• 🎟️ Fee: ₹4,500 (includes all materials)

• 👥 Open to: Anyone curious about image-making; no prior experience required

• 📸 Bring: A spirit of experimentation and a willingness to get your hands dirty

About CPB Darkroom

The CPB Community Darkroom is a dedicated space for analog photography — from film processing and printing to alternative techniques and artist residencies.
Through its workshops, film grants, and community events, CPB fosters hands-on learning, experimentation, and a collective passion for the photographic arts.

Student Discount

We believe financial barriers shouldn’t stop someone from learning.
Apply for the student discount by sending a short note about your interest in analog photography along with your student ID proof to darkroom@chennaiphotobiennale.com.

Cancellation Policy

• Cancellations made 7 days or more before the workshop are fully refundable.

• Cancellations made within 7 days of the start date are non-refundable, but seats can be transferred or deferred to a future batch (subject to availability).

• If the workshop is cancelled or rescheduled by CPB Darkroom, participants will be offered a full refund or transfer to a later session.