This hands-on workshops introduces participants to the various components of working with a medium format camera, from understanding the camera controls and settings to loading, shooting and developing black and white film. Guided by instructor Morris Lum, participants have the opportunity to operate a medium-format camera before heading outdoors to photograph in a street setting. The workshop will conclude in the darkroom, where participants will process their black and white negatives, gaining an introduction to the complete medium format analogue workflow. No previous experience is required, all materials will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own medium format camera if they have access to one.
S/M/L: An Introduction to Analogue Camera Formats
(Course Description)
Course fee: $500 (members) / $550 (non-members)
Explore the fundamentals of three analogue camera formats through this hands-on workshop series. Over three sessions, participants will be introduced to 35mm, medium format and large format photography, learning how to use each camera system, shooting black and white film or paper negatives, and processing their negatives (in the darkroom). Designed for photographers of all levels, this series offers an accessible introduction to the distinct possibilities of working with different analogue formats.
Morris Lum is a Toronto-based photographer and artist whose work explores the hybrid identities of the Chinese Canadian community focusing on the transformation of Chinatowns across North America through photography, documentary practices and engaging with archival materials. In 2025 Lum published Tong Yan Gaai | Chinatowns photographs by Morris Lum a collection of photographs spanning over a decade documenting Chinatowns in North America.
Lum’s work has been exhibited and screened across Canada, and the United States and has received numerous accolades including CONTACT Photography Festival Burtynsky Grant (2023) and the A&E Short Filmmakers Award (2010). Lum holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and is an Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto.
