People find each other in fortuitous ways. Sometimes intentional, sometimes not. The formation of this Collective was intentional as it was fortuitous.

The intention of connecting with others; sharing knowledge; working, exploring, learning together and being able to create a space that allows for a darkroom to be built and joint projects to emerge.

The fortuity of 9 people who didn’t really know each other, coming together and encountering one another not as strangers but as like-minded and open individuals who are curious not only about learning how film developing or a darkroom works, but also curious when it comes to learning from (and about) each other.

It was Mo who had the idea of forming an analog Photography Collective like this, and it was also him who contacted the people who he thought would be interested in joining. From the beginning it was an important factor for him (as well as all the others) to get a heterogeneous group of people involved. Now, in this constellation, a few months after our very first meeting, friendships and projects have started to take form.

And publishing zines, organising exhibitions or collectively working on long term photographic projects are as much part of our agenda as it is to build and extend our darkroom, drawing upon the many techniques that are, after all, still alive – from lith prints to kallitypes, to printing from old glass negatives found on various flea market raids.

Coming from different backgrounds and with different approaches to photography, each of us brings a new element to the group, which offers a broader and more diverse perspective on the various topics we would like to explore.

And exploration is always best when done collectively.

Die Rote Kammer