Darkroom Dispatch: September Edition

Written By Melissa Magnuson

Welcome to the first edition of Darkroom Dispatch! This is your monthly update on everything happening at SW Darkroom, where we’ll share news, events, highlights, and more from our community.

Exciting News: Our Blog is Live!

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new blog series! Each month, we'll be sharing tips, tutorials, photographer interviews, and insights into the world of analogue photography. Since the creation of SW, we envisioned this space as more than just a place to process films—it's a community where we learn, exchange ideas, and grow our art practices together. Our blog reflects this commitment, and we hope you'll join us on this creative journey.

 

We have a New Colour Printer

We’re excited to announce that a brand-new RA4 colour printing machine has just been installed!

This addition is bigger and better, offering an even higher quality of colour prints. Bookings will open shortly—stay tuned on our socials and newsletters for updates!

 

Last Month at SW Darkroom

Here are a few highlights from last month: We hosted a special workshop for children in collaboration with a renowned charity, teaching them the basics of printing photograms — and they had an absolute blast! We also saw some beautiful large-format portraits printed by Emil Lombardo in our space.

If you’d like your work to be featured in next month’s Darkroom Dispatch, tag us on Instagram or email us your images!

 

Photography Exhibitions in London

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best photography exhibitions happening in London this month. Be sure to check them out and support your fellow artists!

Current Photography Exhibitions:

  • Ernest Cole: ‘House of Bondage’ - Until: 22 September 2024

    • Location: Soho

    • Description: A powerful exhibition of Ernest Cole’s work documenting life under apartheid in South Africa.

  • Zanele Muholi - Until: 26 January 2025

    • Location: Tate Modern, Bankside

    • Description: A major retrospective showcasing the striking portraits and self-portraits by South African visual activist Zanele Muholi, highlighting the LGBTQIA+ community.

  • Fragile Beauty: Elton John’s Collection - Until: 5 January 2025

    • Location: Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington

    • Description: A selection of photographs from Elton John’s collection, featuring iconic works by celebrated photographers.

Photography Exhibitions Opening in September 2024:

  • Malik Roberts: The Double Up - Dates: 13 September – 25 October

    • Location: D’Stassi Art, Hoxton

    • Description: An exploration of themes of identity, culture, and duality through mixed media, including photography.

  • Lewis Hammond: ‘Glass House’ - Dates: 13 September – 20 December

    • Location: The Perimeter

    • Description: A showcase of surreal imagery by one of the UK’s rising young artists, including photographic elements.

  • Lewis Khan at FIGURE.8 - Dates: 22 September - 6 October (PV 19th)

    • Location: Campbell Works, Stoke Newington

    • Description: Lewis Khan will be exhibiting his latest moving image piece ‘Shrovetide'. It was shot this year at the Atherstone Ball Game in Warwickshire, and looks at male self-worth, vulnerability, trust, and care.

Have an exhibition you’d like to promote? Email us at info@swdarkroom.com, and we’ll share it in our blog and newsletter!

 

Photography Contests and Awards Closing Soon

Looking for opportunities to showcase your work or win some prizes? Here are some upcoming photography contests and awards closing soon:

We are excited to start this journey with our blog and share more updates with you. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when a new blog entry is released. We hope to see you soon at our space!

Happy shooting,
The SW Darkroom Team

Melissa Magnuson
Previous

Exploring Place and Atmosphere with Elliott (Xin Li)
Next

Our New Colour Development Machine!