Penumbra

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
One day, Leonardo invited Sergio to develop some photos at his house, in the darkroom that belonged to his father, the photographer from Jalisco, José Hernández Claire. After a few beers, and with Sergio having experienced the process for the first time, we both agreed that it was a shame darkrooms are becoming increasingly scarce and are mostly found in private spaces. So, we wanted to open a meeting place for photographers, a darkroom always available for those who wanted to learn how to develop and print film, a place to share knowledge and spread the passion for analog photography.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Without a doubt, the afternoon is when Penumbra truly comes alive, when the city begins to quiet down, the sun starts to set, and the space is filled with a soft light streaming through the windows. Our rooftop is also a fantastic setting for sunsets, talks, screenings, and enjoying a beer during exhibitions.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
Without a doubt, the darkroom is the heart of Penumbra, and it's the space that most attracts our visitors. Many people have never been inside a darkroom and have only seen them in movies. When they enter and are exposed to the calm under the red light, everyone experiences a sensation they've never felt before.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
En un mundo donde lo digital está al alcance de todxs y economizar tiempo es lo más importante, transmitir la pasión por el proceso, por la paciencia y por la práctica de lo análogo ha sido todo un desafío. Sin embargo, una vez que lo vives, te das cuenta de que además de alcanzar resultados que de otra manera no lograrías, es un proceso que se disfruta y que hasta es terapéutico. Así es como la gente que ha aprendido a revelar en nuestros talleres, regresa para revelar sus rollos por su cuenta en nuestro cuarto oscuro.

What influence, idea or reference continues to guide what you do today?
We are convinced that analog processes still have much to teach us. Part of our inspiration comes from sharing the photographic legacy inherited from, on the one hand, the photographer José Hernández Claire, Leonardo's father, and on the other hand, the architect Salvador de Alba, Sergio's grandfather, both passionate about photography and who had their own darkroom at home.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
In addition to José Hernández Claire and Salvador de Alba, Penumbra is inspired by projects in Guadalajara that seek to bring together photographers and preserve the practice of analog photography: Hilitos, Filmamento, Khaos, Foto Mercado, Colectivo Mirada Tapatía, among others.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We really like the work of the Sales de Plata project in Madrid. If we could collaborate with anyone, we'd love to do so with Cristina García Rodero, a documentary photographer, as we're very inspired by her precision and attention to detail when enlarging photographs, and we'd love to learn from her.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
When we started Penumbra, we had all the instruments for the darkroom, but no furniture. All the furniture we have in the space, we found at Father Cuéllar's bazaar or even rescued from the trash to restore and give a second life. On top of the electric piano we have in the entrance, we have a book that we don't know how it got there; it's from 1923 and is titled "Church and Feminism." We haven't read it, but it seemed very random, so we kept it as a curiosity.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue." There's no better inspiration than jazz for working in the darkroom.

Answers by Leonardo Hernández and Segio Ruiz Velasco, partners and founders of Penumbra.