Finnish Darkroom Association

Finnish Darkroom Association The Finnish Darkroom Association is a non-profit organisation running a professional b&w darkroom Mörk in Vallila, Helsinki.

We organise the Helsinki Analog Festival, and the Nordic Analog Network together with the CYAN Studio in Oslo. The Finnish Darkroom Association is a non-profit founded in 2016 with the purpose of ensuring the preservation of analog black and white photography. The mission of the association is to share and develop the know-how related to darkroom printing in Finland, to support the networking of i

ndividuals and organisations in the field and to create international cooperation. Anyone interested in analog photography can join as a member. Mörk is a fully equipped, professional black and white darkroom built and maintained by the association. Mörk is located in The Finnish Artists' Studio Foundation's Vallila Studio Centre in Helsinki, and it is open for all. The association actively organises courses of all levels in black and white printing and special techniques, such as collodion wet plate process and daguerreotype. The association also produces various events and exhibitions, such as the Helsinki Darkroom Festival which will be organised for the first time in the beginning of 2022 at the Museum of Finnish Photography.

Member takeover.My ideal negative is dense and dark. I overexpose all shots, except for those taken in low light, expose...
24/05/2026

Member takeover.

My ideal negative is dense and dark. I overexpose all shots, except for those taken in low light, exposed at 1/15th or 1/8th (rangefinder). Then, to build the density, compress tones and aggregate grain on the negative, I overdevelop my rolls for several minutes. Long exposure with blue light (grade 5) will restore some of the range with extreme texture.

Although negatives made this way are not suitable for most printing styles, they are great for expressive enlargements. I know I have gone too far when print exposures end up taking minutes. I have to get creative with masking and dodging (see first picture).

Member takeover.I have recently turned small prints into ”red objects”. The toned silver prints that are mounted with fi...
23/05/2026

Member takeover.

I have recently turned small prints into ”red objects”. The toned silver prints that are mounted with five layers of material, including a high-pigment red backing. I round the corners and paint the edges of the objects with an intense red.

The resulting sturdy object is a contemporary take on vintage cabinet cards. It’s an attempt to present the print as a precious object and relic.

I have included some snaps from the process of making the objects in the smallest size 9.5x14cm. The object layers are thermally mounted and then cut precisely. I love how the final object looks when it’s mounted in a black frame.

Member takeover.All of my prints are toned (stained) with black tea. Pre-soaked fibre prints spend less than two minutes...
21/05/2026

Member takeover.

All of my prints are toned (stained) with black tea. Pre-soaked fibre prints spend less than two minutes in tea at 23-24C to absorb just enough colour. The tea bath should be free from any convection currents and agitated sufficiently to achieve an even colour. Although tea is a lightfast natural dye, it can be somewhat unpredictable, so colouration may vary.

The colour does two things. Much like creative flashing, it allows me to eliminate light tones more aggressively. Most importantly, the colour changes how the print is perceived. Like a pictorialist visual cue, it embues the picture to be read with a sense of romanticism and poetry. It steals nostalgia from vintage photography and adds a sense of calm.

Member takeover.Regarding my artistic approach. I don’t work in terms of projects, themes or storytelling. My pictures f...
20/05/2026

Member takeover.

Regarding my artistic approach. I don’t work in terms of projects, themes or storytelling. My pictures form a singular Bilderkosmos (label suggested by writer Anne Kotzan for Schwartzweiss) that expands or comes into clearer focus with each new picture. I can’t tell if this approach is artistically honest or sloppy. It certainly makes any grant application awfully vague.

In hindsight, however, certain themes and threads appear to emerge in the cosmos. Pictures develop gravity and congregate. Some of the most recent works were exhibited under the title ”Distances”. The pictures in this collection trigger thoughts perhaps about memory, time, longing, and otherness.

My photographs are unplanned observations. Snapshots. I don’t interfere with reality any more than by saying ’Stop right there.’ Since I cannot plan an observation, I cannot plan the next image. Instead, I cultivate a sensitivity to fascinating visual cues, trying to live life actively enough to naturally accumulate new material. Pictures made in such a documentary spirit feel like visual fossils, relics or artefacts.

Every picture is a thought that connects to previous pictures. Stylistically I seek clarity, simplicity and quiet expressiveness. I prefer compositions that shift the mass of the image around the frame rather than achieving balance. I am fascinated by the edges of the frame. Something happens when things cross over into imagination.

Member takeover.My private darkroom is not a generalist space. It is completely focused on one format and one stylistic ...
19/05/2026

Member takeover.

My private darkroom is not a generalist space. It is completely focused on one format and one stylistic approach. After years of experimentation, problem-solving and adjustments to equipment, I have finally reached the plateau of satisfaction and focus.

The darkroom has minimal fixed furniture. Height-adjustable tables have space around them for easy troubleshooting and re-arrangements. My primary Leitz V35 enlarger sits on a heavy industrial workshop table that absorbs vibrations. It is operated with the Heiland Splitgrade controller and uses a colour LED for 0.1 step contrast control. Accurate autofocus, programmable metered exposures and filter-free grading make printing enjoyable.

I have modified the V35 for maximum sharpness. The diffusion enlarger is now semi-condensing with a lensed mixing box made by Kienzle. This combination of lensed light, a dual-glass negative carrier, laser alignment and calibrated autofocus produces the needle-sharp grain that I love in silver prints.

📷💫 Many of our members are taking part in TEOS this year! You can find a selection of works by our photographers display...
14/05/2026

📷💫 Many of our members are taking part in TEOS this year! You can find a selection of works by our photographers displayed in an extensive exhibition of over 2,000 pieces.

In 2026, the annual art sales event TEOS invites visitors to explore photographic art, sculpture, and printmaking at the Cable Factory’s Merikaapelihalli until Sunday 17 May, as well as online until Saturday 30 May.

Finnish Darkroom members exhibiting are:

Tero Marin
Aapo Huhta
Jenni Haili
Paula Haapalahti
Maya Kubinova .kubinova
Kateryna Lesiv .lesiv
Pauliina Tuomikoski
Mikael Siirilä
Katri Krohn Lassila
Natalia Kopkina
Martti Jämsä

TEOS 2026
8–17 May, Mon-Sun 11am-6pm
Merikaapelihalli, Cable Factory
Free entry

TEOS Online Shop
8-30 May
teosvalitys.fi/kauppa

Images: Katri Krohn Lassila.

The event is organised by the Association of Photographic Artists, Association of Finnish Printmakers, and the Association of Finnish Sculptors.

As part of the Helsinki Analog Festival, our association and organized the Young Photographer Award 2026. This was the ...
08/05/2026

As part of the Helsinki Analog Festival, our association and organized the Young Photographer Award 2026. This was the second time the award was held; the first edition took place in 2022 as part of the Helsinki Darkroom Festival program. The Young Photographer Award was established to provide young photographers with a platform to showcase their work and to inspire them to explore the fascinating world of analog photography and darkroom practice.

In 2026, the first preserved photograph turns 200 years old. With this special anniversary in mind, we believe it is vital to understand how young people see the world around them and how they depict it through the camera lens. Through the submitted portfolios, we noticed that landscape, self-portraiture, and the relationships between humans, animals, and nature were among the recurring themes.

It was wonderful to see how many talented young photographers there are in Finland. A huge thank you to everyone who submitted their applications!

One of the aims of the Award is also to give the finalists an opportunity to broaden their artistic practice and expression, and one of the jury criteria was the applicants’ potential for artistic growth.

Here is a quick peek at the works of the three finalists. The winner of the Award is Maari Joensuu with Leevi Kaukonen and Kaisla Talonen sharing second place. ✨🎉

Pictures:
1-3: Kissa 2, Juhannusruusut, and Hiljainen horisontti by Maari Joensuu
4-6: Nimetön (2026), Olen tuolla jossain (2026), and Viimein (2026) by Leevi Kaukonen
7-9: Nimetön (2021), Nimetön (2025), and Nimetön (2025) by Kaisla Talonen
10: Poster by Hikari Nishida

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