Analog photographer Okazaki Japan

Hi, Im a photographer working primarily with 35mm black and white and analog printing processes.
I signed up because I want to create a space in Okazaki where analog photographers can come to print their work in a fully equip darkroom and exhibit their finished work in the attached gallery. I hope to give photographers travelling through Japan a chance to stop by, take in the inspiring scenery and culture, process their film and get a few prints done. I plan to offer accommodation as well so you can take your time printing!

Anyway I don't know how this site works yet but I want to get some feedback as to whether anyone would come to Aichi during their travels if they had this opportunity to work in a darkroom and exhibit their photographs.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts, this is at the project proposal stage but I hope to have it set up by April in time for the Sakura viewing season.

よろしくお願いします

Good Luck! What IS the Sakura viewing season??

chip j said:

Good Luck! What IS the Sakura viewing season??

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I'm guessing Cherry Blossom.

Cherry blossoms

Never been to Okazaki. I’d come over.

Sounds great!

This is a dream of mine as well (for Kyoto), but will probably never happen. ;-) It's a great idea, but I don't think Okazaki should be the selling point. I've been in Japan for over 14 years and I've never heard of it. What's in Okazaki that would entice photographers there? If it's primarily about the darkroom space and gallery, that should be your main selling point. That's what I would lead with - that, and the fact that such places don't really exist in Japan (rental darkrooms yes, the rest, no). Before I had my own darkroom this is absolutely something I would have loved to do - I used to go to Tokyo once or twice a year and would do darkroom sessions at Place M whenever I was there on business (I was living in Kumamoto at the time). Aichi also really isn't on the tourist trail, which may or may not be a selling point. But I would be interested in knowing about places that would appeal to me as a photographer to make the trip there worthwhile.

Another question or two. If you are offering photographers the chance to exhibit their work, are you also providing framing (and other) services? For both non-residents of Japan and those who live here, but living further away? Shipping framed prints (internationally) costs a lot of money, and paying to get things framed but not being to take them could also be a waste of money for some people. For the darkroom, are you offering the chemicals? Will there be a variety? Could photographers bring their own? The one thing I hated in the shared darkrooms here in Japan was the use of hardened fixer - it really impacted what I chose to print, and unfortunately I had no choice in the matter. How big will the darkroom be? Could it be used for workshops? Will it only be for regular black and white printing, or could alternative processes be done there? How many enlargers? Will they be in a communal room, or smaller, separate rooms?

Will the gallery will be its own functioning space? Will there be a shop? Could photographers sell their own photo books there?

I know I'm probably asking questions far beyond the scope of your project, but it seems to have a lot of potential. I think it's a great idea and would love to come by and visit.

I think it is a great idea, but you should also make it available for photographers in Japan if you haven't already. That would be a great way to establish a community. Also it would help you out if you put up a little website. You wouldn't need much. It would also help if you made the darkroom really top notch. I am sure people would give you stuff considering you are giving your time and aren't trying to make money off the arrangement.

Good luck to you.

chip j said:

Good Luck! What IS the Sakura viewing season??

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Thankyou very much! Sakura season is the Cherry Blossom season. Its particularly beautiful in my area, the long winding rivers are lines with sakura trees on both sides leading up to the castle.

Mooseontheloose - Thankyou so much for your resonses, they are really helpful to me! You mentioned some things that I hadnt thought of which is really great, and I will consider them as I move on with my project. The actual space hasnt been decided yet, but it should be able to facilitate 3-4 englargers with dividers a large wet space. Photographers will be able to work with 35mm up to 4x5 negs, and basically if you hire the space you can do whatever you want if it is discussed beforehand. The darkroom will supply chemicals which are included in the hire fee, but if you wanted to bring your own chem then we can arrange for a discount in the price of hire.
Our services will most definitely be for everyone! I already have some interest from photographers in this area, residents and foreign residents, but I am writing on this site to gauge the interest of photographers outside the country who are travelling through. You are definitely right about the fact that maybe noone knows about Okazaki, it will be one of the biggest difficulities for me but I will put a lot of effort into advertising. There really are some amazing things here and its not very far from Nagoya. There are like the most amount of temples in one area in the whole of Japan, losts of super interesting history and amazing events like our fireworks festival which is one of the biggest in Japan. So I hope that if i can get the word out about photographic opportunities in the area, more people will want to come.
The gallery will be slightly separate, but linked in the sense that photographers working in our darkroom will have more of an opportunity to exhibit. We will have openings and events, and the darkroom and gallery space will be able to host workshops too. I myself will be running workshops, hopefully for students and school groups in the area, as well as refresher courses and indepth printing tutorials for anyone who wants to learn.
The gallery will also have a cafe, the three things will be linked as a community space where anyone can come, to learn, to teach or just to talk and drink coffee while looking at art.

I hadnt thought about artists being able to sell their art books, but I think that sounds like a really good idea. I really want the space to be about the people who are a part of it. Its definitely not going to be a profit driven enterprise, I just want to make somewhere that can inspire people and make them feel welcome.

thankyou very much everyone!

I feel kinda bad, I dont want to be stealing your ideas! I really appreciate the feedback though.

Patrick Robert James said:

I think it is a great idea, but you should also make it available for photographers in Japan if you haven't already. That would be a great way to establish a community. Also it would help you out if you put up a little website. You wouldn't need much. It would also help if you made the darkroom really top notch. I am sure people would give you stuff considering you are giving your time and aren't trying to make money off the arrangement.

Good luck to you.

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Thankyou very much Patrick. You are totally right and I will definitely be welcoming anyone and everyone who has an interest in analog processes. It will be a community space so I'm hoping to be make the space somewhere everyone can come to. I will be making a website as soon as my proposal is accepted, it will have information about Okazaki and its history and events, our darkroom, cafe and gallery spaces and a log in membership section where you can book your darkroom sessions.

I will try my best to make it as top notch as I can!!! Thankyou!!

Peter Schrager said:

Sounds great!

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Thank you!

ericdan said:

Never been to Okazaki. I’d come over.

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When its set up I will let you know! You should definitely come, it really is beautiful. Thank you

@Jedder Jones - don’t worry about stealing ideas, that’s what public forums like this are for! As I’ve said before, this is something I would love to do too, but unless I win the lottery, it will never happen.

I don’t think the fact that Okazaki is off-the-beaten track should be much of a deterrent, in fact that’s a real selling point (for me anyway - Kyoto’s popularity can be problematic, especially during hanami season). Look at Photographers Formulary in Montana - it’s in the middle of nowhere, yet close to areas appealing to photographers. They run successful workshops that attract photographers from all over the world.

Another question about the darkroom - you said there would be 3-4 enlargers, but what about the wet space? Will everyone have to share the same trays/chemicals if working at the same time, or will there be enough space to have multiple trays/chemicals going at the same time? On a day-to-day basis it probably wouldn’t matter, but if it was a full house, or you were running a workshop, it may be something to consider.

If you are looking for supplies, let me know. My darkroom is pretty crowded with things I’ve accumulated over the years, from excess trays to black out curtains.