Open Kamera CIC

04/06/2026

What a great day we had at Kinterbury Creek :-) We are now in the stage of scanning and digitising all the family portraits we have taken on that day, and looking forward to share them soon :-) Thank yoi Barne Barton and St Budeaux Community Forum Plymouth Sound National Marine Park The National Lottery Heritage Fund for creating this opportunity!

23/04/2026

Tomorrow >>
our first /Framed by the Sea/ session starts at 10am at Firestone Bay - and we're really looking forward to meeting those of you joining us.

After spending the past weeks working with families, this part of the project opens up space for individuals. For anyone who feels drawn to the coastline >> whether you already have a connection with the sea, a story to share, or you're simply curious to explore that relationship a bit more.

/Framed by the Sea/ is about slowing down and working with the sea, not just next to it. We'll be using traditional analogue photography methods, combined with a sustainable approach and a portable darkroom experience out in the field.

At its core, this project is about connection (with the sea, with place, with yourself), storytelling (sharing personal memories, reflections, perspectives), process (learning through making, experimenting, and being present)

Together, over the next couple of months we'll be building a collective body of work that will be shared later this autumn.

If you've been thinking about joining >> there are still a few spaces available: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/framed-by-the-sea-x-blue-sparks-tickets-1985447191998

See you by the water.

23/04/2026

We've been spending a lot of time by the sea lately, and some of it we brought back home with us.

Quite literally.
There’s seaweed in our freezer now. Small fragments of the shoreline, collected during our walks and workshops.

This is the time when the sea feels most alive; not exactly /blooming/ like trees or flowers, but growing fast. Longer days, more light, warmer water.. and suddenly the coast is full of colour.

Light behaves differently in water: reds disappear quickly, blues travel deeper. And seaweed adapts. Different pigments allow it to absorb whatever light is available, depending on where it grows.

Growing, shifting, changing.

In our work, the sea isn't just a backdrop. It becomes part of the process. A collaborator. Just like the seaweed we use in our darkroom experiments.
We're continuing this journey over the coming months; with more sessions and more conversations.

If you'd like to follow along, you can join our newsletter here: www.openkamera.org

The Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Horizons project has been made possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players with £11.6 million funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

14/04/2026

We've been taking our portable darkroom out to the sea over the past few weeks, and honestly, it's been a mix of everything… (especially a combination of wind and sand everywhere ;-D)

/Family by the Sea/ turned into something much more natural than we expected. This project has always been about connection with the sea, with each other, with our own stories.

We met at the sea, and the sea became part of the process. A collaborator. Just like the seaweed we've been working with.
We've been exchanging stories, and making portraits directly on paper, we wanted to reduce the use of plastic where we can, so we went straight to paper and skipped the negative. Each image is a one-off. And then - we've been developing them in a seaweed solution, right there on location.

We're starting to scan some of the images now, and sharing a few here from the families we met along the way.
What really stayed with us is how open and curious everyone was. People just gave it a go, even when it felt a bit unknown, and that's kind of the point of it all.
Because of that (and also because the weather didn't always play along), we're going to continue. We'll be adding more /Family by the Sea/ sessions in July/August - so if you missed it or want to join us, keep an eye out. We’ll share tickets soon.

If you’d like to follow the journey and not miss any upcoming sessions, you can sign up to our newsletter here:
www.openkamera.org

The Plymouth Sound National Marine Park Horizons project has been made possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players with £11.6 million of funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Plymouth Sound National Marine Park The National Lottery

02/04/2026

There's something quietly unfolding here >>
Seaweed, as a collaborator. A connector. A material that holds time, memory, and now… paper.
We're so excited to be stepping into this process with Matt from Raay - Royal Adelaide Art and Yoga, exploring how seaweed can move beyond the shore and into the sheet, becoming a layer, a trace, a surface that carries stories.
Thank you Matt for opening your door to us and sharing your practice and curiosity in such a genuine way.

And all of this… happening right here, in the heart of our beloved Stonehouse.
___________________________
this research and experimentation is part of our BLUE SPARKS project, supported by Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and the The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

19/03/2026

We’re really excited to invite you to a new series of workshops by the sea 🌊
The first one is happening this Saturday, 21st March at Firestone Bay >> FAMILY PORTRAIT BY THE SEA >> come and meet us on the shore.

This project invites families to engage with the coastline through a series of creative, participatory workshops that combine analogue photography, environmental awareness, and shared storytelling. We’ll explore seaweed, pinhole cameras, step into our portable darkroom.. and create a family portrait by the sea - natural, unposed, yours.

Also… can you develop an image using seaweed?👀
Come and find out.

It’s relaxed, hands-on, and open to everyone | no experience needed.
🗓 Saturday 21st March
📍 Firestone Bay, near tidal pool, Devil’s Point
👉 Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/family-portrait-by-the-sea-x-blue-sparks-location-firestone-bay-tickets-1985506556559?aff=oddtdtcreator
(spaces are limited, booking essential)

See you by the sea 🤍

This project is part of Blue Sparks, supported by Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and the The National Lottery Heritage Fund - helping us connect people, creativity, and the sea in new ways.

18/03/2026

The sea holds stories - of arrivals, departures, and everything in between.

Thanks to Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are inviting you to join and meet us on the shore for a series of workshops where we will be exploring alternative photography analogue processes, collecting and sharing stories shaped by the coastline and entering a dialogue with the sea.

READ MORE ON OUR BLOG AND SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO RECEIVE NEWS AND UPDATES >>

Blue Sparks explores analogue photography, seaweed experiments, and our connection with the sea in Plymouth. Join us for coastal workshops and creative gatherings.

26/02/2026

Some time ago, we had the pleasure of visiting Kingsbridge Community College to deliver a workshop exploring analogue photography within an industry context.

We started with a brief, talking about purpose, context, expectations, and responsibility while also making space for play and experimentation >> creative practice is always more than simply /delivering a brief/. It is about voice, curiosity, and the courage to stay playful even within structure.

We introduced analogue processes alongside alternative, more sustainable methodologies, opening conversations about environmental responsibility, mindful making, and the idea that meaningful practice often begins with a simple shift in mindset: quality over quantity.

We also reflected on how art, like any industry, when disconnected from care, can sometimes become extractive, but when rooted in awareness, it can do the opposite: it can repair, connect, and give back.

Students developed their photographs using caffenol (a developer made from coffee!), and the results were beautifully raw, thoughtful, and full of intention.

Thank you Kingsbridge Community College for having us; and to the students for your openness, curiosity, and courage to experiment.

Kinga

14/10/2025

Hey, it’s Kinga here, co-founder and creative director at OPEN KAMERA CIC.I’m inviting you to a fun and playful workshop where we reimagine the family portrait at Liskerrett Community Centre
Any camera is welcome (phones included). Kids can be the creative directors, grandparents the storytellers, and you… just come as you are. No posing perfection, just honest presence, light, and connection.

save your spot here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reimagine-the-family-portrait-in-the-digital-age-tickets-1632422231839

Bring the kids, grandparents, aunties, best friends - however your family looks, you’re welcome.
Let’s make something honest, warm and a little bit magical together.

This project is created in collaboration with MAKE IT BETTER CIC and it’s thanks to their support that it’s happening.
We’re very grateful!

20/04/2025

FAMILY PORTRAIT UNDER THE TREE
Join us this Easter Monday for a celebration of family, heritage, and the beauty of our multicultural community.

We’re gathering under the tree, with our analogue cameras, thermoses of tea, and open hearts -to co-create portraits that honour who we are and where we come from.
Families by blood, families by choice, all backgrounds and generations >> this space is for you.

Let’s connect, share stories, and press pause together.

Free event | Book your spot:

Let's gather under the tree for a beautiful family portrait that captures our love and connection in a natural setting!