Community Focus - Lakeside Darkroom Posted On 15th April 2025 To Magazine & Community Focus
Our second Community Focus highlights Lakeside Darkroom, a London-based community interest company with a strong feminist ethos. Keep reading to explore their facilities and what they have to offer!
Section 1 - Background
Let’s start easy. Tell us A little about the darkroom, what it’s called and how it started.
Lakeside Darkroom (LKSD) is a Community Interest Company (CIC) with a strong feminist ethos. Established in August 2022, its primary aim is to provide a safe, welcoming, and empowering space where photographers of all levels can learn and create.Our approach is built on collaboration, experimentation, and embracing mistakes as essential learning opportunities. We believe in pushing creative boundaries, guided by the philosophy: "When there is a good reason for breaking a rule, do not hesitate to do so." — Berenice Abbott At LKSD, we strive to foster a supportive and inclusive community where people of all genders feel comfortable engaging in both group and individual projects. As a feminist organisation, we actively promote openness, inclusivity, intergenerational dialogue, and collaboration, while standing firmly against racism, misogyny, colonialism, and any form of discrimination. If you're passionate about analogue photography, come and explore the darkroom in an environment that encourages both artistic and personal growth.
Where are you based?
We’re in South East London, specifically Thamesmead, SE2 9AN.
What facilities do you have? How many enlargers etc.
We are a fully equipped black-and-white darkroom with six to seven enlargers, accommodating formats from 35mm up to large format 5x4. The space is designed for both experienced printers and those new to the craft, with all the essential equipment and chemistry provided.
What is the best piece of printing tip or advice you have ever received?
Never cut corners in the darkroom. It might seem tempting to rush or take shortcuts, but patience and attention to detail are what make a truly great print.
Who can use the space?
Lakeside Darkroom is open to both members and non-members, as well as our interns.
- We offer membership plans with great benefits, including:
- Full-day printing access (12:00–19:00) for £19.50
- Use of one enlarger
- All necessary chemistry included
- Membership options for 3 months or 1 year, with discounts available for students and recent graduates.
- Non-members can also book a session, though membership offers additional benefits and better rates.
- We also run an Internship Programme, providing three months of free darkroom access to recent graduates and those with limited resources, in exchange for assisting with administrative and marketing tasks.
What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you?
You can reach us via: Email, our website & Instagram (@lakeside_darkroom).
What can they expect when they visit and do they need any experience to come along?
Everyone is welcome at Lakeside Darkroom! We are a relaxed, experimental, and creative space where respect, curiosity, and knowledge-sharing are key. If you’re completely new to the darkroom, we offer beginner-friendly workshops, including one-to-one sessions, to help you get started. For membership access, you’ll need some prior darkroom experience—if you don’t have any yet, you can easily gain it through one of our workshops. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned printer, you’ll find a supportive and inspiring environment here.
Do you charge a membership or any fees?
Yes, but we keep our rates as affordable as possible. As much as we’d love to offer everything for free, the membership fees help us maintain the space and keep it accessible for everyone.
Why should people come along?
Because here, we truly enjoy the process. We experiment, embrace mistakes, and even dance under the safelight! It’s a space where you can grow your skills in a fun and supportive community.
As this is an ILFORD interview it would be remiss of us not to ask about your favourite ILFORD darkroom products.
We primarily use Ilford supplies, including: Ilfosol film developer, ILFORD paper developer (Multigrade or PQ Universal) and fix (Rapid Fix or Hypam), ILFORD Multigrade RC and FB paper (mainly pearl finish for workshops), ILFORD contrast filters for printing. Our go-to films are Kentmere 400 (which we like to push a little) and HP5+ & FP4+.
SECTION 2 - SHOUT OUTS
We all need a bit of inspiration and love so this is your chance to tell the community about yours – from the darkroom printers whose work inspires you, the labs you trust with your film, your ‘go to’ film photography stockists, your favourite community darkrooms or just anyone in the community who you feel deserves a special mention.
Give a shoutout to your personal favourite retailer.
Parallax Coop and Process Supplies are my go-to places in London—they never disappoint!
Are there any darkroom printers that you admire?
I admire anyone who is open to experimentation and willing to push themselves to grow as a printer. Confidence in the darkroom comes from practice, and open-minded printers are the best printers.
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHY/DARKROOM YOUTUBE CHANNELS.
Nothing beats hands-on, face-to-face darkroom experience! While YouTube is great, there's something special about learning in person, where you can see, touch, and experience the process first-hand.
AND FINALLY…
NOMINATE ONE OTHER PERSON YOU THINK SHOULD FILL IN THIS FORM AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO THEM.
The Darkroom at Beach Creative
About The Author
Naroa Pérez
Naroa Pérez (b. 1978, Barcelona)
Since founding Lakeside Darkroom, Naroa has been committed to providing a safe, affordable, and welcoming space for analogue photographers. With experience as a photography technician at Photofusion (Brixton), Darkroom London (Camden), and Chan Photographic (Shoreditch), as well as volunteering at E5 Darkroom (Homerton), she built the confidence to establish her own studio. Most of the equipment at LKSD was donated by other darkrooms, and the space was developed with support from friends and colleagues in the field.
With essential backing from Bow Arts, Naroa transformed an empty studio into a fully functional darkroom. Today, LKSD hosts workshops, events, and PHOTO BITES, a gathering where photographers and visual artists discuss their work in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
In early 2024, Naroa launched the Intern Programme, offering free training, workshops, and darkroom access in exchange for help with admin and marketing tasks. This initiative is building a vibrant community where artists can grow and collaborate.
Personal Practice: Naroa Perez is a London-based photographer whose work explores touch, nostalgia, and fear. She is passionate about the darkroom process, with a focus on mistakes, chance, and repetition as essential elements of creation. Her interests include liquid emulsion techniques, colour printing, and E6 transparency processing.
Her photography is held in collections such as: The Victoria and Albert Museum Library (London). The Bodleian Library’s Rare Book Collection (Oxford University). She earned a BA in Photography from the London College of Communication (UAL) in 2017.
The images included are from one of our interns: https://anamariamolnar.com/bw