The EBPCO Community Darkroom

The EBPCO Community Darkroom is a black & white community art space located in downtown Oakland, just steps away from the 12th Street BART station. Our facilities include:

  • Enlargers for black & white silver gelatin printing

  • Space and equipment for black & white film processing

  • Finishing facilities for dry mounting, mat cutting, scanning, and more

  • All black & white processing chemicals are provided

You can learn more about our darkroom and apply for use below.

  • - Black & white print chemistry provided

    • Legacy’s Eco Pro B&W Paper Developer

    • Legacy’s Eco Pro B&W Odorless Stop Bath

    • Legacy’s Eco Pro B&W Neutral Fixer

    - Five enlarger stations

    • (3) Beseler 23c enlargers

    • (1) Beseler 45MX enlarger

    • (1) Beseler 45MXT coldhead enlarger

    - Enlarging lenses ranging from 50-150mm

    - Negative carriers for 35mm - 4×5

    - MG Contrast Filters

    - Adjustable enlarging easels and contact printing frames from 5×7 - 16×20

  • - Black & White Processing Chemistry Provided

    • Legacy’s Eco Pro B&W Film Developer (X-tol equivalent)

    • Legacy’s Eco Pro B&W Odorless Stop Bath

    • Legacy’s Eco Pro B&W Neutral Fixer

    - Loading closet and/or changing bags

    - Plastic and stainless steel tanks and reels

    - Large format processing tanks tanksand accessories

    - Hanging film dryer

  • - Print Finishing Supplies & Equipment

    • Mat-cutter

    • Precision Rotary Paper Trimmer

    • Guillotine Paper Cutter

    • Dry Mount Press

    • Spotting & retouching materials

    - Film Negative After care

    • 20×12” Light table

    • Epson v700 flat bed negative scanner for digitizing 35mm - 4×5” negatives and prints up to 11×17”

    • Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom for image processing

Image by Fatima Abbas

GETTING STARTED AT THE DARKROOM

The EBPCO Community Darkroom is available to EBPCO members who apply for darkroom use and complete a darkroom orientation.

  • Darkroom applications are reviewed once monthly

  • A scheduling phone call for orientation will be made to all applicants once reviewed. All orientations must be scheduled in advance.

  • Orientations are held monthly at the darkroom and include a thorough walkthrough of our community guidelines and user agreements. Attendees start their independent darkroom access from there.

Image by Brenna Hansen

DARKROOM FEES & PRICING

An annual EBPCO membership, one-time darkroom orientation fee, and darkroom subscription fee are required for darkroom access.

  • EBPCO memberships are available as annual plans ranging from $25-50 per year. If you’re not already an EPBCO member, sign up on our membership page.

  • Darkroom orientations have a one-time fee of $50 due at the time of scheduling to confirm the appointment.

  • Darkroom subscriptions are activated on-site during orientations & are available in one month ($20-$35), three month ($90), or six month ($150) plans.

  • If you're ready to join our community darkroom, submit the application linked below

APPLY FOR DARKROOM USE HERE!

Image by Brenna Hansen

DARKROOM EXPERIENCE & CLASSES

Some previous experience helps everyone get the most out of our space. We welcome beginners and offer workshops year round for all who need to get the necessary experience before starting independent darkroom use.

  • Those WITHOUT any previous darkroom experience, are recommended to take an Intro to Darkroom workshop or equivalent course before their darkroom orientation.

  • Those WITH some previous darkroom experience, DO NOT need to take a workshop before their darkroom orientation.

We also offer workshops for all experience levels and interests to get ongoing education. Our workshops are open to all, and you can check out the schedule on our workshops page.

Image by Vince Donovan

SUPPORT THE DARKROOM

We've created a wishlist of supplies needed at the darkroom. If you'd like to support the space, please check out the list & donate an item if you can. Supplies listed are regularly updated and range from improvement items to ongoing supplies. We’re also accepting monetary donations to cover operating costs.

SUPPLY DONATIONS
MONETARY DONATIONS

Image by Anita Gay

VOLUNTEER AT THE DARKROOM

We’re a community run space and ongoing darkroom volunteer positions are available to registered darkroom users who want to support the space while learning together and building community. Information about volunteering is covered during darkroom orientations. If you're interested in joining the darkroom team in this role, let us know in your darkroom application.

We also host semi-regular public volunteer work days where we focus on projects to improve the space.  If you'd like to be notified and join in on upcoming public work days at the darkroom, email darkroom@ebpco.org

If you're ready to join our community darkroom, submit the application linked below. We are excited to welcome you to our space! For all darkroom and/or application related questions, email darkroom@ebpco.org.

APPLY FOR DARKROOM USE HERE!

Thank You to All of Our Darkroom Donors!


Don Albonico

Douglas Stinson

Eben Ostby

Elizabeth Zuckerman

Ellen Shershow

Eric Weiss

Erika Gentry

Ernest Luppi

Evan Karthesier

Fairlight de Michele

Fatima Abbas

Fernando Escobar

Frank Pinkelman

Fredrika Ward

Geoff House

Gordon Szeto

guy sussman

Gwen Santos

Hannah Levy

Hannah Rohret

Heidi Goldman

Hieyam AbduIrene Imfeld

J. M. Golding

Aaron Ramales

Alan Krakauer

Alan Lewis

Allie Foraker

Amanda Goldsmith

amy morrison

Andrea Ewald

Anita Gay

Ann Marie Jastrab

Annabelle Port

Audrey Jones

Beatrice Thornton

Bob Shonkoff

Bobo Li

Brooke Farrington

Carmencita Ancora

Cathy Cakebread

chris gibbons

Dan Stone

Dave Elfving

David Allbut

David Tau

Dena Mossar

Leslie Miley

LEWIS WATTS

Lisa Gonzalves

Marsha Guggenheim

Marvin Moser

Mary Celojko

Matt Osborne

Megan Fawcett

Meghan Long

Michael Teresko

Mindy Aronoff

Mirjam Sax

Neeley Drown

Neil Yazma

Ngan Vu

Nicholas Gaylord

Patrick Lee

Philip Minnitte

Rebecca Marshburn

Rebecca Several

Richard Morgenstein

Robert Schneider

Rose Borden

James Grosse

Jamie Pillers

Jan Watten

Janet Delaney

Jason Groessel

Jazmin Betancourt

Jenya Chernoff

Jim Breeden

Jorge Nieto

Joshua LaCunha

Joshua Marsh

judi Iranyi

Judy Dater

Juliayn Coleman

Karen Holmes

Kari Orvik

Kate Bridge

Katelyn Keeshen

Katherine Briccetti

Kendra Luck

Kevin Leveque

Kimberley Campisano

Leslie Donovan

Sabina Simpson

Sam Adams

Sam Deaner

Saul Bromberge

Scott Evans

Scott Hargis

Scott Kozinchik

Senny Mau

Sophia Aguinaga

Sophie Vincelette

Stephanie Williamson

Steve Abbott

Steve Baum

Stuart Gunn

Susan Gutterman

Tenju Paul

Todd Vaziri

Victor Hernandez Mata

Vincent Donovan

Vincent Nicolas

Wesley Miller

William Garrett

Yakira Dixon