The Joya: AiR sustainable darkroom is an environmentally conscious and resource-efficient photographic darkroom designed to minimise ecological impact while encouraging alternative film developing processes. Traditional darkrooms often involve the use of chemicals and materials that can be harmful to the environment if not handled or disposed of properly. A sustainable darkroom uses environmentally safe processes and encourages the adaptation of safe processes in a contemporary and creative manner.

We do host artists who wish to use conventional analogue photographic techniques and to ameliorate harmful consequences we have a chemical waste management and reclamation system.

It is important to note that the Joya: sustainable darkroom is a facility and does not offer technical support. It is a facility to experiment with alternative processes in an environment that is the embodiment of sustainability.

Here are some typical examples:

Cyanotype

Process: An iron-based process that creates a cyan-blue print by exposing treated paper or fabric to UV light (sunlight).

Sustainability: It uses non-toxic chemicals (ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide) and water for development, which makes it more eco-friendly than traditional darkroom methods.

Salt Printing

Process: An early photographic process using a paper coated with salt (sodium chloride) and silver nitrate. After exposure to light, the image is developed in a salt bath.

Sustainability: This is an eco-friendly method because it uses natural salt and can be done without harmful chemical developers.

Anthotype

Process: A plant-based process that involves extracting pigments from fruits, vegetables, or flowers (such as spinach or beetroot) and coating them onto paper. The exposure process uses sunlight to bleach the image onto the paper.

Sustainability: It’s one of the most sustainable processes, as it uses only plant-based pigments, natural light, and no toxic chemicals.

Lumen Printing

Process: A contact printing method where photographic paper is exposed to sunlight, producing a unique print as the paper reacts to the light without any need for chemical developers.

Sustainability: Since this method requires no chemical development, it is a low-impact and environmentally friendly process.

Pinholes and Solargraphy

Process: Using a simple pinhole camera to capture images, or solargraphy to track the sun’s movement over long periods.

Sustainability: This process involves no electrical equipment, and the exposures often take place over several weeks or months using natural light, reducing energy consumption.

Gum Bichromate

Process: A technique where gum arabic, a natural plant resin, is mixed with pigments and photosensitive dichromate to create prints. The image is built up layer by layer.

Sustainability: Although dichromate can be toxic, some variations of this process use safer, modern alternatives. The pigments are often natural, making it somewhat more sustainable when used with care.

Casein Printing

Process: Similar to gum bichromate but using casein (milk protein) instead of gum arabic. The casein is mixed with pigments and dichromate to create a photosensitive solution.

Sustainability: Like gum printing, casein can be done with natural pigments, and the use of milk-based protein makes it more biodegradable.

Coffee or Tea Development

Process: In this method, coffee, tea, or other natural tannins are used as developers for black-and-white film or paper, in place of traditional chemical developers.

Sustainability: This replaces harsh chemicals (like hydroquinone) with natural and biodegradable substances, making it a more eco-friendly option.