Nov 14–15, 2026
Darkroom @ The Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media (PCAM)
Two-day workshop registration + materials fee
$135
Workshop
Lumen Prints and Plant Magic
Make images using plants, sunlight, and a little photographic magic! In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore lumen printing, a camera-less photographic process that uses sunlight to create images directly on light-sensitive paper. Using plants as both subject and material, participants will create a series of experimental photographs and will be introduced to homemade, plant-based developers and alternative photographic processes such as chemilumens. All materials will be provided.
Image credit: Kelsey Nolin, Flora, 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
Skill Level/Experience
All skill levels are welcome and no photographic or alternative processes experience is necessary.
Schedule
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 1:00 - 3:00 pm ET - PCAM Darkroom (1047 Shady Ave.)
Day 1: Lumen Printing - Students are introduced to lumen printing through hands-on experimentation with plants, sunlight, exposure times, and composition. Together, we’ll explore the unpredictable and magical qualities of this process.
Sunday, November 15, 2026, 1:00 - 3:00 pm ET - PCAM Darkroom (1047 Shady Ave.)
Day 2: Plant-Based Developers - Students learn to make their own plant-based photographic developer and experiment with chemilumen printing, combining sunlight and plant-based chemistry to transform their images.
Register
The two-day workshop registration fee is $120.00 with an additional $15.00 materials fee
Register by 5pm on Wednesday, November 11
If you would like to take this workshop and need financial assistance please contact sobia@silvereye.org. A limited number of bursary seats are available.
Participating Artist
Kelsey Nolin was raised on a small farm in the foothills of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Her rural upbringing led her to form a deep attunement with the rhythms of the natural world and an appreciation for physical labor. Kelsey’s current photographic research is centered around the intersection of space, landscape, and memory as elements of placemaking and identity. She continues to explore these ideas through both traditional and alternative photographic processes with a focus on plant-based material.