Tim Layton, © Tim Layton FIne Art, 2024, All Rights Reserved

Darkroom Diary Premium

Real Process. Real Guidance. Real Connection.

What You Get as a Premium Member:

📽️ Private Video Library
Exclusive behind-the-scenes videos.
📚 In-Depth Articles & Formulas
Proven guides on chemistry, printing, hybrid analog-digital techniques, toning, and more.
🧠 Creative Reflections
Honest stories, field notes, and journal-style entries exploring the “why” behind the work.
🗣️ Direct Access to Me
Ask questions anytime—or schedule a personal call or video session to discuss your current project. Reach out if you need technical help or need to brainstorm something about your current or future project.
📦 Unlimited Archive Access
Includes all past premium content: live session recordings, workflow breakdowns, artist reflections, and technical deep-dives.
❤️ Support the Craft
Your membership helps preserve and share rare 19th-century photographic methods in a digital-first world.

You get access to everything listed above, plus the ability to connect with me personally for only $10/mo.

A Real Creative Partnership

I’m not here to push content for clicks. I’m here to help you grow.

If you have questions about your work, need help troubleshooting your darkroom process, or want to go deeper creatively, I’m happy to schedule a call or video session.
No forms. No gatekeeping. Just real support by someone who cares about your work and what you are trying to accomplish.

I don’t know anyone else offering this kind of personal commitment—especially in analog photography.

You get access to everything listed above, plus the ability to connect with me personally for only $10/mo.

NOTE: After you complete the signup process, you will receive an email to confirm your membership and activate your account. This can possibly end up in your SPAM or JUNK folder. Please ensure you locate this email in order to gain access to the premium library.

Why I Created The Premium Membership

Darkroom Diary is my personal refuge and creative journal—a place where I share the full story behind my art, not just the finished prints.

I work with rare analog handmade processes because they slow me down, connect me to something deeper, and reflect a way of being that’s almost forgotten in the modern world.

But the final image is only part of the story.

What matters just as much—and maybe more—is the journey: the long walks with wild horses, the quiet moments mixing chemistry, the doubts, reflections, breakthroughs, and setbacks. All of it feeds the work.

Darkroom Diary is where I share everything with you—week by week, season by season—and where I partner with you to nurture and grow your ability to create deeply meaningful work.

Want to Support the Mission?

Even if you’re not a photographer, you’re welcome here.

If you believe in keeping the art of analog photography alive—and want to support someone doing the work by hand, with integrity and intention—your membership makes a real difference.

This community exists because of people like you.

Cancel anytime. No hidden commitments.

You’ll get immediate access to the full archive and everything new I share.

Member Testimonials

Robert Flores

I have found Tim Layton to be a source of great inspiration for my art. I track his almost daily posts and articles on what it means to be an artist. He is a rare photographer who combines both technical mastery and motivational artistry. He has moved beyond the digital world of automation and artificial intelligence to produce stunning handmade artwork that leaves me overwhelmed by the sheer physical beauty of his art.

Tim’s technical mastery of the historical photographic processes is truly unmatched. I recently fell in love with the Platinum Print process, and I wanted to master this craft. As with all new historical processes, I struggled to master the process. Being that the Platinum Print process is very expensive, I could see money floating down the drain with each unsuccessful print. I was making progress, but it was slow and costly. I almost decided to abandon the Platinum Print process when I discovered Tim’s website. Tim offers detailed workflows and procedures to eliminate all the frustration of learning these historical print processes. I followed his published Workflows step by step and I quickly started making Platinum Prints that I considered to be fine examples of this print process.

I love Tim’s once-a-month video group meetings. It is so much fun to hear from others as they pursue the craft of handmade prints. We share our artwork, and I have found true inspiration in their artwork. We also help troubleshoot any technical obstacles as we continue down this path of handmade photographic art. The 1.5 hours just seem to fly by. This is the group I was hoping to find that enjoys making historical handmade prints. Everyone is very humble yet sharing information and techniques.

Joining Tim’s Membership group is an unbelievable bargain. For the price of a cup of coffee and a croissant (yes, I live in France), I gain access to a library of technical information that I have not been able to locate online at any price. His articles on the inspiration behind his art empower me to want to make great art.

Tim Layton is truly an asset to the community. When I struggle with some detail, Tim responds with detailed information to get me over the hurdles. The Alternative Photographic Print world needs more people like Tim. Thank you Tim for all your help, inspiration, and being there when needed.

Paul Sheridon

I recently joined the Darkroom Diary Premium Membership. Since then I have been challenged in so many ways not just in my approach to photography, but with the growth and technical outcomes I want to pursue in alternative photography. Having access to Tim’s library as a member has been encouraging and supportive in reflecting upon my own thoughts. It’s allowed me to slow down and to think deeper as to why I am doing what I am doing as an amateur photographer. His articles, such as, ‘The Psychology of Creation’, and ‘Great Art is Rarely Convenient’ have been very informative in this process. Along with many others. The discussion and dialogue among other members in the first monthly group meeting I was a part of made me realize how much I needed to be with those of like mind and have treaded down the path that I want to follow. Truly a breath of fresh air. My horizons have already expanded from doing platinum palladium prints from digital negatives to now wanting to shoot large format film for contact printing. Tim is an excellent educator, he takes the time to listen to where you are presently in your journey and offers the technical know-how to guide and lead you to fulfilling your vision for the future. All along, expanding your dreams and possibilities with this passion we call photography. Thank you, Tim!

Michael Wellman

When I started in photography some 50+ years ago, so many resources were available within my community for photographers. Camera clubs and stores were everywhere, and you could use these places to see photographs, learn about, and talk with people about anything photography-related. Sadly, these resources have faded away in the last 25 years for analog photographers. Where do you go today to learn about analog photography and alternative techniques? Where do you go to talk about analog photography?

This is a problem that I have been wrestling with for some time. I miss talking with people about photography. The most common place is YouTube, but most of the information is somewhat dubious, being produced by people who really don’t have that much experience in analog photography.

The Darkroom Diary is an oasis in the desert of analog photography. There are several reasons why I find this is such an excellent resource for anyone contemplating analog photography workflow. Tim has been doing this for a long time. He has an insatiable love and passion for photography. If he’s not doing photography, then he’s thinking about it. Perhaps the most amazing thing about him is that he loves all aspects of photography. I would be surprised to learn if there was a form a photography he hasn’t tried. Second, is his knowledge base. When he learns about a process, he researches the historical aspect, understands the chemistry behind it, and then applies it. Then, he will take it a step further and try new things with this process to see if it is better. Third, what separates Tim from everyone else out on the internet and YouTube is that he talks about the art side of photography, which most people avoid talking about because it’s not as sexy as gear and technique, but it is the most important part of work. He talks about how to find your creative muse and how to create work that you are passionate about. Fourth, Tim loves to share his knowledge. He doesn’t keep things to himself like it is something secret that no one else should know about. This obvious when you first log onto the Darkroom Diary and see all the information that is available to you. Unlike YouTube or most other resources on the internet, he’s a reliable source of information if you have questions.

I wish I had the time and energy to do half the things Tim has done in photography. Thankfully, the Darkroom Diary is an easy resource for me to learn about and get started on any analog photography project I choose to do.