Real Photography Company

The Real Photography Company are a Bristol-based Community Interest Company incorporated in July 2017,

producing exciting photography projects, and managing Community Darkrooms  at St Pauls Learning Centre, Bristol. 

We aim to revive and refresh traditional and alternative photography, with a programme of workshops, exhibitions and events, plus high quality Darkroom facilities available 7 days a week for photographers in Bristol and beyond, with a low cost Membership scheme.

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Darkrooms Inductions

Book Darkroom sessions via St Pauls Learning Centre, once you have completed a Covid-Safe Darkroom Induction. 

Free of charge - book your place here.

Darkroom Memberships now available.

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More Supported Darkroom Sessions in Oct and Nov

Friendly and informal evening sessions with help and guidance available.

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Black and White Darkroom Workshop

Sat 4 Dec

A whole day in the Darkroom to practice developing film and making beautiful prints from your negatives.

For beginners, or anyone wanting to refresh their darkroom skills - not to be missed!

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For details and booking see Workshops

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Windrush Community Project 

This exciting community project combines photography, music and celebration with opportunities to meet the Windrush Elders in Bristol and find out more about this pioneering community.

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Windrush Concert - Sat 23rd Oct

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Celebrate Black History Month at our Windrush Concert! Bristol Reggae Orchestra will perform new Windrush-inspired music, and you can preview our forthcoming book of the Pioneers, portraits of the Windrush Generation by photographer Garfield McKenzie. There will be food from Glen's Kitchen, and it's all free! For further details and booking see our events page.

Plus we are programming a series of free Windrush Alternative Photography Workshops taking place at St Pauls Darkrooms through till Spring 2022. More details on our events page.​​

Mr Roy Hackett with photographer Garfield McKenzie at St Pauls Learning Centre Café.

Coming Soon! 

Alternative Photography Exhibition at St Pauls Learning Centre and Online. 

We are gathering photos of the beautiful experimental images made during our recent series of Outdoor Photography Workshops to create a new exhibition at St Pauls Learning Centre opening in November.

In a series of outdoor workshops taking place in St Pauls, St Werburghs and Eastville Park, Bristol, participants selected leaves, flowers, grasses and found items such as feathers, to make images. We made our own light sensitive paper using everyday kitchen ingredients, such as turmeric and home-made developer out of coffee and washing soda, and created images in sunlight, no cameras required. Selected images were contributed to Bristol Photography Festival Growing Spaces Project, and will be included in our forthcoming exhibition.

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For more details about the processes used see our Resources where there are downloadable info sheets, videos and presentations. Outdoor Photography Workshops are supported by Quartet Community Foundation.

My Bristol

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At St Pauls Learning Centre, Bristol, we mounted an outdoor exhibition on the side of the building; My Bristol; a selection of images made by participants of community photography projects, available now for everyone to see.

Other funded community photography projects include:

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• Chemistry Workshops 2019 - 20 with local schools, Cabot, Glenfrome, St Werburghs, St Barnabus and Evergreen, funded by the Royal School of Chemistry. 

• Photo-Social Project 2019 - 20 bringing people together for a variety of workshops, talks, exhibitions and other events, funded by the Big Lottery,

• Photography course, workshops and exhibition in 2019 - 20 for the Over 50's Inner City Photographers funded by Bristol Ageing Better,

• School Science Project with five local primary schools 2018 - 19, funded by the Ogden Trust,

• My St Pauls Community Photography Project, 2018 - 19 funded by Bristol City Council, working with local groups including Over 50's, refugees and asylum seekers and people recovering from addictions.

More info in our Project Archive

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Find out more about our facilities on the Darkrooms page, or email us with any enquiries.

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