The greatest single qualitative leap a photographer can make is learning the keys to good composition.

It’s not the camera or the lens or costly accessories, it’s not whether you prefer film or digital - it’s how you approach the frame and how you go about populating it. Where’s the subject? Do you center or skew? Where’s the horizon line? What’s in the foreground? What’s a frame within a frame? Do you go for a vast overview or the telling detail? How do you make use of environmental elements to lead the eye where you want it to focus? How do you approach abstracts and minimalism? What is storytelling?

The rules of composition are easily identified and just as easily learned, yet most photographers use intuition, a hunch, rather than tried-and-true compositional techniques. In just 3 classes, with hundreds of photos to examine – and a portfolio review in the final class – you’ll come out with a whole new aesthetic for your photography.

Up the Down Escalator by Portland photographer, Gabriel Francis, is an invitation to slow down, look closer, and reconsider what we define as beautiful. It asks viewers to recognize themselves in others, and to acknowledge struggle not as something to be hidden, but as something that connects us all.

The images focus on moments and individuals often overlooked or dismissed. Francis is drawn to struggle and resilience, to the contrast between hardship and the strength people carry through it. Emotional, mental, physical, financial, and spiritual challenges are treated not as spectacle, but as shared human realities, approached with care, dignity, and respect.

Tonight’s reception will include a live musical performance by the band Growing Pains.

Up the Down Escalator will be on view in our gallery space through the end of January.

Join local artist Alice Christine Walker for an immersive four-hour workshop exploring the history and magic of the cyanotype process. Known for its distinctive Prussian blue tones, cyanotype is one of the oldest photographic printing processes and one of the most versatile.

This workshop strikes a balance between technical knowledge and hands-on experimentation. We will begin by demystifying the chemistry, discussing the differences between pre-coated papers, raw chemistry mixing, and pre-made solutions.

Instructor Megan Sinclair will be teaching our Intro to Darkroom in a one-day class on January 18.

The morning will be spent learning to process film and develop black and white negatives. The afternoon session will focus on taking those negatives to into the darkroom to learn printing techniques.

You’ll receive guidance from an experienced instructor who will share tips on best practices and help you troubleshoot common issues. Whether it’s perfecting the development process or fine-tuning your print’s contrast, they’ll be by your side to ensure you leave with the knowledge and skills to confidently use a darkroom on your own.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have not only developed your own roll of black and white film but also created a series of prints from your negatives.

Franklin FOTO Director, Sharmil Elliot Reclusado, will be teaching our Intro to Darkroom in a two-day class.

You’ll receive guidance from an experienced instructor who will share tips on best practices and help you troubleshoot common issues. Whether it’s perfecting the development process or fine-tuning your print’s contrast, they’ll be by your side to ensure you leave with the knowledge and skills to confidently use a darkroom on your own.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have not only developed your own roll of black and white film but also created a series of prints from your negatives.