CHENNAI: A strip of negatives hangs to dry under red light. Across the room, trays of chemicals sit ready as a group of participants wait patiently for an image to slowly emerge on photo paper. A community of photographers and hobbyists in Chennai is rediscovering analogue photography, choosing the slower process of loading 35mm film into ageing cameras, developing negatives by hand.
For Varun Gupta, founder of Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation's Darkroom, the revival is rooted in a desire to reconnect with photography itself.
"Digital photography, of course, came and revolutionised photography, then came mobile phone photography, and now AI. But analogue photography has always been something personally I've been drawn to," he says, explaining that although he built his career in photography, film remained the medium that brought him the greatest creative satisfaction.
That personal journey eventually led to the creation of CPB's community darkroom, where photographers from complete beginners to experienced can learn, experiment and practice analogue photography together.
"Film photography has its own slowness and charm that one must experience," Varun says. Going to the roots of photography, requiring light and chemicals to interact to produce an image, is a search for authenticity.
For Chennai-based analogue photography enthusiast Pugalendhi, film first entered his life not through photography, but through journaling.
The very first time that I got introduced to film photography was for the purpose of journaling, he says. "It slows you down. When you are taking photographs on film, you become more intentional. You admire things. You look at the intricacies of the place or the art or the event. You think and then take a photo."
That slower way eventually changed the way he documented his own life.
"One of the cons of digital photography is it being digital," he says. "With film, you notice details. You admire the moment instead of rushing through it. That's why I call it intentional documentation," he explains. That inconvenience creates a little friction, and that friction makes us more present.”
Film demands patience, A photographer must finish the roll, send it for development, wait for scanning or printing and only then discover the results. says Pugalendhi
That experience is now drawing many first-time photographers to Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation's Darkroom, where workshops introduce participants to every stage of analogue photography from developing exposed film to making silver gelatin prints by hand.
For Otis, curiosity first led him to the Darkroom 101 workshop.
“I had a basic knowledge about analog photography. That's when my friend who works in CPB told me about this 'Darkroom 101' workshop. Learning the process of finding the right exposure for a picture, including burning and dodging, made me want to stay in the darkroom until I got it just right. I still remember Varun convincing me saying, 'Dude, that's the right exposure,' and me replying back saying, 'Let me expose it for two seconds more!' That was a fun day indeed, he recalls with a laugh.
Otis added "Analogue photography really changed how I see things. It slowed down my process of taking a picture, helping me observe my surroundings better as I metered the light and dialed in the right exposure.Ultimately, it really helps you master your photography."
"I run a photowalk community where I teach and offer advice on analog photography. A lot of people still don't know much about analog cameras or are intimidated to try them. It gives me an opportunity to demonstrate the cameras and explain the whole process." Otis adds
Harish's another participant from the CPB workshop says journey into analogue photography began with a much simpler goal."I wanted to explore and build my foundation by having a deep understanding of the basics."Like many newcomers, he assumed " it would be similar to digital with a few extra steps but didn't know it was a money and time-consuming process."
“I was holding something tangible at the end of the process in this era of digital dump, I just feel, it makes me shoot less."Harish said when asked about the impact of analogue photography.
Like Otis, he believes the community has become just as important as the craft itself.
That growing community is also reflected in the industry. Vivek Mariappan, Product Head for Film and Darkroom at Srishti Digilife, says analogue photography has evolved from "a nostalgic curiosity to becoming an active creative medium again."
We're seeing rising demand for processing chemicals, developing tanks, enlargers, photographic paper and darkroom accessories. People increasingly want to understand the complete analogue workflow—shooting, developing and printing—rather than just shooting a roll and sending it off to a lab, he says.
According to him, the appeal lies in the intention that film demands.
"Digital photography has made image-making incredibly democratic, which is a wonderful thing. But because images have become so effortless to produce, many photographers are now looking for something more deliberate."
"Film changes your relationship with photography. Every exposure costs something. A frame on a 36-shot roll matters in a way an image on a phone with unlimited storage doesn't. That constraint makes you observe more carefully and think harder about light and composition before you press the shutter."
"The future of analogue in India depends less on selling film and more on building access and education—more labs, more community darkrooms, more workshops and more chances for people to learn the process from exposure right through to printing. Communities are what actually sustain analogue photography long-term. Vivek concludes.