Students, teachers and parents observed the work of Harvard-Westlake (HW) students in an aesthetic black and white photography exhibition in the Arlene Schnitzer Art Gallery in Wang Hall. Laid out before one’s eyes was a very pleasing aesthetic of black and white contrasting images, developed using darkroom film techniques during class. The gallery was first presented Tuesday, Dec. 11, during break.

The exhibit featured work of several ninth graders expressing their creativity by using techniques such as using sharp contrasting lines and silhouettes to create striking modern art.

“I’m in Photography 1, so I was trying to understand the contrast between each item and how transparency works on the paper. I knew that I wanted a darker outline, so I used a more solid object to get that contrast, and for the whiter parts of my project, I used a cup that was transparent all the way through, so the light could travel through.” Dylan Tatum ’22 said.

While discussing what his class is working on now, Tatum said, “For the rest of the semester we’re still doing dark room [photography], but we’re working on it to a more detailed level, learning how to use double exposure, and stuff like that. For the past month and a half, our work has been camera less.”

Overall, the exhibit was a creative expression of HW students art. A darkroom is a completely dark room, where black and white prints are commonly made, while a safelight is commonly used to illuminate the work of the area. Students are encouraged to explore while developing craft and composition.

Photo credit: Self taken