Art / analogue photography
‘We are incredibly lucky’: Negative Thinking marks two milestone celebrations
After a year of transition and a successful crowdfunder, the team at Negative Thinking – the self-styled “home of analogue photography in Bristol” are in deservedly celebratory mood.
Not only are they marking six months since moving to a new and much larger home at Bedminster’s Willway Yard – a collection of affordable studio spaces run by Meanwhile Creative – but they are also approaching their third birthday, which will be hailed with a party on April 24.
They are also in the final weeks of accepting submissions for an open exhibition to be held in June, called Darkness Calling – intended to show the breadth of talent within the NTHQ community, from those participating in one-off workshops to regular users of both the darkroom and studio.
is needed now More than ever
Under the red light
Newly assisted by Talbot, the small team at Negative Thinking is co-led by Tim and Emily Pearse, who married in 2024 and are expecting their first child in September.
Emily caught up with Bristol24/7 to reflect on how far the studio has come since outgrowing its former home in Totterdown.
Six months after moving to your new home, how are things going at Negative Thinking?
“We are doing well! We are so grateful for the space that we have found. Willway Yard is a growing community, and we’re so excited to be part of it from the get go.
“We’ve loved meeting all of the brilliant people that have visited us since September. Negative Thinking is focused on sharing knowledge and encouraging creativity, whilst building a community around our shared love of making photographs.
“Our workshops are filling up fast, our darkrooms are buzzing with life, and we continue to meet fantastic people who are curious about learning about the beauty of chemical photography and its history; regardless of their experience in photography or art, the joy of making pictures is what brings them here.”
Looking at prints
In what way has your community grown or changed since becoming part of Willway Yard?
“Being more centrally located means we can welcome more people through our doors, which has resulted in a huge boost to our community. Our darkrooms and studio are being enjoyed by people from across Bristol, and we see new faces every day. We’ve even started opening late on a Thursday, which is great fun!
“We continue to support our community by offering volunteering and work experience opportunities, and will always help out whenever we can – creatively or otherwise. And with the extra space we now have, we’ve been able to open up our workshops to more people, and even run two workshops at once; things have really taken off. We’re meeting new people all the time – some are just starting out on their photographic journey, while others have a great knowledge base to build upon. Whatever stage they’re at, they’re welcome here at NTHQ.
“Our CritClubs are going from strength to strength too, and we really look forward to our monthly get-togethers where we discuss each other’s photographic projects and ideas, share prints and opinions, and look at old books and cameras. Everyone is welcome, and there is never any pressure to share; we just relish the company.
“Ultimately, we love meeting new people who enjoy analogue photography just as much as we do, so anyone is feel free to pop in for a cuppa; we’re always up for a chat.”
Handmade negative
What are your current challenges and opportunities – and what stands in the way of achieving them?
“As a completely self-funded project, it’s always a challenge keeping ourselves afloat – especially with the cost of living skyrocketing. We know that many people are struggling right now, so this has strengthened our resolve to keep our prices as low as we possibly can; we want to ensure that people from all walks of life can access our facilities and feel confident that they can embrace their passion, no matter what their situation.
“With that being said, we would like to obtain some arts funding – that elusive beast – to support us as we grow. We need time and resources to expand our audience, but funding applications and self-promotion are not our forte – we prefer spending time in the darkroom!
“We have a unique space that welcomes people from across the UK and Europe, but we still find it incredibly tough to get our name out there. We love that word of mouth has brought so many lovely people to our door, and we’re so thankful to everyone who beats their drum for us, but there’s definitely scope to expand awareness of Negative Thinking and all of the wonderful things we offer.”
Aaliyah Lith Print – photo: Tim Pearse
As you look ahead to the rest of 2025, can you share any news about your future plans?
“Our Darkness Calling exhibition is going to run for the whole of June, opening with a big party to celebrate the artists and their work. It’s always hugely inspiring for us and a great way for community members to get together and see each other’s fantastic work.
“Secondly, here at Negative Thinking, we believe that everyone should have access to a creative outlet, and as such we are now starting our new pay-it-forward programme so that those who need it can attend our workshops for free. Vouchers are available to purchase online for those who can afford to give a little extra, which are then given anonymously to anyone who needs one, no questions asked.
“We are also in the process of beginning to promote our commercial portraiture – Tim is a critically acclaimed, award-winning portrait artist making beautiful, handmade photographs in a variety of processes. We want to offer unique images at a reasonable price – exclusively making only a few each week – with the aim of this helping us to maintain our workshop programme and enabling us to continue the work we do.”
Happy studio shot
Finally, what do you most look forward to as you go down to the studio?
“I think that more than anything, we are incredibly lucky to arrive at work and do what we love. We are constantly learning, evolving as people, and building something unique that we truly believe is a special thing for Bristol, and the wider photographic community. We get to build the thing we want to see in the world and create weird things in the darkroom, as well as spend our time with a wonderful community of people who love hanging out here, making pictures with us.
We get to lean into this project and create something that we wished we had had access to when we were learning, and facilitate the opportunity for people to experience the joy of handmade photography through play and experimentation. That makes us hugely proud. How lucky we are to give ourselves to this project and to continue building a business we love, for the community.”
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Negative Thinking is at Studio F1, Willway Yard, Bedminster. Find out more on the website, or follow @negative_thinking_bristol.
All photos (unless stated): Negative Thinking
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