The Afghan Box Camera is a camera and darkroom in one, and can produce black and white portraits anywhere! Predominatly used in Afghanistan to make identity images as well as formal portraits at weddings and for special occasions, the camera is a versatile tool for the photographic image maker anywhere lacking a traditional darkroom! 

Who is it For?
This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in photography. 

This will be a physical course, delivered in person at our UWE Frenchay Campus. 

The course price includes all materials and PPE.  

Price: £129.00 Full Price / £103.00 Concessionary & UWE Alumni Price

Date:  22nd May 2024 

For more information please email [email protected]

Details of our Cancellation Policy and Conditions of Booking

Click on the course title above for information on the course tutor and the course outline. 

Concessionary rate prices: We offer a 20% discounted concessionary rate to UWE staff, UWE alumni (including previous CFPR CPD attendees), anyone reliant on state benefits for their income, anyone currently in full-time education (worldwide) or part-time higher education (UK), and those who are retired.

Course Description

Course Structure:

After an induction into the workings of the Afghan Box Camera and a practical demonstration of making negatives and positives, participants will have the opportunity to work under guidance with one of three cameras to take portraits in the surroundings of UWE's Community Gardens. Participants will leave the course with up to 5 images. 

About Frank Menger: 

Frank Menger works as Research Fellow in the Centre for Print Research and Senior Lecturer for Photography for Foundation Studies in the School of Arts at UWE Bristol. His interests lie in historic photographic and photomechanical printmaking practices, with a specialist interest in wet-plate
collodion photography. In his practice, he researches and combines analogue and digital photographic and printmaking techniques, drawing on a vast experience of traditional techniques combined with novel and innovative approaches.

Frank has extensively taught analogue darkroom photography practices in his previous roles at Goldsmiths’ College and at the University of Wales, Newport, and is currently in the process of building a hybrid digital darkroom in a box, based on the principle of the Afghan Box Camera.

The course is limited to a maximum of 8 participants so please sign up early to secure your place.