Your Host & Instructor
I’m John Higginson — photographer, printmaker, and lifelong student of light and time. My work is rooted in the old ways: glass plates, silver salts, and the patient rhythm of the darkroom. These workshops are more than technique; they are an invitation to slow down, to see with care, and to create images that feel timeless, touched by hand and heart. Whether you come to rediscover the craft or to try something utterly new, you’ll find these days shaped by generosity, curiosity, and quiet joy.
The Limestone Studio, Dordogne, France
The Limestone Studio rests in the gentle folds of the Dordogne — a place where time seems to move more slowly. Here, in soft light and quiet, we make photographs with old cameras and patient hands. The darkroom hums with the scent of collodion and fixer; antique lenses wait on the shelves, their glass worn with history. Beyond the door, the world opens to misty mornings, ancient villages, and sun-warmed stone — the perfect companion to the craft we’ll practice inside. This is a studio made not only for working, but for breathing, thinking, seeing.
The Process
This is photography as it once was — elemental, deliberate, and full of wonder. Wet plate collodion on glass, silver gelatin prints, albumen paper: each step invites attention and care. You’ll pour plates by hand, frame portraits in soft natural light, and watch images bloom slowly in the darkroom trays. For those who wish, these time-honoured methods can blend with modern digital tools — but always the heart of the process remains: slow, thoughtful, and deeply human. The camera becomes not just a tool but a companion; the photograph, not a file but an object to hold, to keep.
Artist Statement
Photography, for me, is a journey into light, time, and memory—an invitation to slow down and see the world through a different lens. Working with the wet plate collodion process and vintage cameras, I find a quiet magic in the deliberate, hands-on craft of analogue photography. It is a practice that demands patience and presence, rewarding us with images that carry a unique texture and soul.
My work is driven by a deep respect for the artistry and history behind each plate, and a desire to explore the delicate dance between light, chemistry, and time. Through my workshops, I hope to share not only the techniques but also the poetry of this process, inviting participants to connect with the craft and with their own creative vision.
Together, we create images that speak softly yet profoundly—images that hold space for beauty, imperfection, and the stories waiting to be told.
If you’d like to get a sense of my own photographic work, you can visit my personal site here: