Three Reflections from a Life in Silver and Shadow
While the tools have been refined and the space rebuilt, the foundation of darkroom practice—built on time, care, and precision—remains the same. Behind the trays and timers lies something more lasting. Over time, three quiet principles have defined the way photographers work in the dark.
Working in the darkroom is like conducting a symphony in shadows. Every second counts—too soon, and the image hasn’t spoken; too late, and it shouts. Developing film and printing by hand is a quiet negotiation with light, chemistry, and time. It’s where instinct meets discipline, and each photograph slowly reveals itself, like a memory rising to the surface.
In the darkroom, darkness is not absence—it is protection, presence, possibility. It shields the fragile beginning of an image, allowing it to surface gently, unseen. You learn to trust your hands, your memory, your instinct. It’s a place where the eye steps back, and the photograph learns to speak before it’s seen.
The darkroom teaches what the world often forgets: that good things take time. It rewards patience over speed, discipline over ease, and the quiet satisfaction of waiting over the lure of instant results. Every print is a lesson in delayed gratification—a slow unfolding of light and shadow, made not with clicks, but with care.
In an age where photography is often instant, Sudhir Kasliwal’s Darkroom 2.0 is a return to the joy of working slowly, by hand, and with intention.
Inaugurated by legendary photographer Steve McCurry in April 2025, this new darkroom is a thoughtfully upgraded version of Sudhir’s earlier workspace. Nestled in the heart of Jaipur, it is more than just a physical space — it’s a tribute to the timeless magic of analogue photography and to the city’s rich photographic heritage.
Sudhir has long kept the darkroom alive—even when digital photography became the norm. His passion began at St. Xavier’s School, under the guidance of Jesuit mentor Father Ryan, and with a German box camera gifted by his father. What began in a school lab and then a bathroom at his home evolved into his first real darkroom in 1975—converted from the dressing room at home. Every black-and-white frame he’s ever made has been developed with his own hands.
“My first memory is of a smell I can’t even describe,” he says.
“The chemicals, the safe lights, the wait—I was hooked.”
At the heart of the new space is his beloved Omega D Enlarger, an American-built machine he has used for over 60 years. It still delivers the same precision and satisfaction it did decades ago.
Darkroom 2.0 is also an ode to Jaipur’s role in the history of photography in India. The city was once home to Photukhana, a royal photographic workshop under Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II—a pioneering patron of the art.
With this new space, Sudhir hopes to share the darkroom experience with others—through workshops, demonstrations, and exhibitions that invite the next generation to explore the tangible, imperfect, and deeply human process of developing film.
“I thought the darkroom was irrelevant. But I got re-addicted,” he laughs.
“Working in the darkroom, you feel like you’ve created something tangible. Mistakes happen—and that’s part of the joy.”