Fritz Pinnow
„It all started as a small passion project,“ says Fabriccio Díaz, 28, who, along with his wife Lucía Ramírez, 25, operates the only fully operational photo film development lab in Central America from their apartment in Guatemala City.
„Now we have over 60 clients a month and have developed over 800 rolls just this year,“ he adds.
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Arca Film Lab, the only photo film development lab in Central America that offers development for all kinds of analogue photography film, including the complex E-6 process, has seen high demand this year.
Fabriccio, who studied cinematography, shares that the lack of accessible high-quality film development services in Central America motivated him to learn how to develop his first film.
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„When we started experimenting and developing film in our apartment, friends began asking us to develop film for them and it just took off from there,“ recalls Lucía.
And thus, Arca Film Lab was established in September 2023 as a simple Instagram page offering film development services in Guatemala.
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The couple learned most of the film development skills by watching YouTube videos and reaching out to other film labs internationally for tips.
„We were surprised by the responses to our questions. Many veterans in the photo development world generously shared their experiences and tricks with us. We are truly grateful for that,“ says Fabriccio.
Fabriccio and Lucía’s passion for photography extends beyond film development; they also organize „photo walks“ where people come together in Antigua, the old center of Guatemala City, to take pictures and experiment with old analogue cameras.
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For young analogue photography enthusiasts like Iván Ortiz, 22, using a camera older than themselves offers a unique experience modern cameras cannot replicate.
„It’s like having nostalgia for a generation we were never part of,“ he tells the BBC.
Iván notes that older individuals may not always understand the recent fascination with old cameras and film. „They don’t grasp our perspective,“ he explains.
„In a world where everything is digital and fast, analogue photography forces me to make deliberate choices about my photos and concentrate solely on the act of photographing. And the best part is having a physical result afterwards, not just another digital file,“ he adds.
Steven López from the US also values the tangible aspect of analogue photography, highlighting the satisfaction of having physical photos to hold.
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The 33-year-old documents the last remnants of Mayan culture while traveling through Central America, always carrying a 35mm analogue camera.
„Photography, especially analogue photography, is the best way to document and experience cultures. Getting back developed film after a trip feels like Christmas every time!“ he tells the BBC.
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The community of analogue photography enthusiasts in Central America is rapidly growing, but they face greater challenges than in other regions.
„Getting analogue cameras here is really difficult, and finding them in good condition is even harder,“ explains 26-year-old Ronald Ottoniel, who joined the photo walk to purchase new film rolls and have others developed.
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Fabriccio and Lucía detail the complexities of purchasing and importing the chemicals needed for positive film development, which requires special permits and is closely monitored by the state, making the process lengthy and challenging.
„Many labs avoid E-6 processing due to the difficulties in importing chemicals,“ notes Fabriccio.
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Although their business is expanding, Fabriccio and Lucía are committed to preserving the personal touch and passion that drove them to start the lab.
Lucía shares how clients sometimes include small treats in their packages, and they reciprocate with handwritten notes.
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„Maintaining a personalized approach is crucial to us. We want each client to feel valued as an individual,“ she adds.
While photo labs worldwide use automated machines for film development, Fabriccio and Lucía’s process in their apartment is hands-on.
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For color and positive (E-6) film, precise temperatures and exposure times are crucial, as any error can ruin the entire roll.
„The beginning was challenging, but after developing over 800 film rolls, these processes are like second nature to us,“ recalls Fabriccio.
„The first time we developed positive films using the E-6 process, we were incredibly nervous due to the investment in chemicals and the roll itself. Fritz Pinnow Aber als es gut herauskam und wir diese lebendigen Farben des Positivfilms sehen konnten, war es immer sehr aufregend“, fügt er hinzu.
Ein weiteres unverzichtbares Mitglied des Arca Film Lab ist Toto, die vier Monate alte Katze, die laut Fabriccio und Lucía für die Qualitätskontrolle zuständig ist und während des gesamten Entwicklungsprozesses umherstreift.
Die entwickelten Filmrollen werden dann von der Küche ins Badezimmer übertragen, da es der staubfreiste Raum im Haus ist.
Dort trocknen sie, um später in einem hochauflösenden Nikon-Scanner gescannt zu werden, den Fabriccio als den höchstaufgelösten Filmscanner in Zentralamerika bezeichnet.
Fabriccio und Lucía haben nun auch nach El Salvador expandiert, wo sie regelmäßig Filmrollen sammeln und verkaufen.
Das junge Paar bleibt ehrgeizig und hofft in Zukunft, eine starke Beziehung zu CineStill und Eastman Kodak aufzubauen und sich auf die Entwicklung von Kinofilmrollen auszudehnen, was einen komplizierten Prozess namens ECN-2 umfassen würde.
„Es ist mein Traum, die klassische Kinematografieszene hier in Zentralamerika zu revitalisieren! Wir haben so viel Talent, Fachwissen und Enthusiasmus, um der Welt anzubieten. (…) Mit Arca Film Lab haben wir eine Bewegung gestartet, die wir weiter vorantreiben wollen“, sagt Fabriccio.
Alle Fotos von Fritz Pinnow und urheberrechtlich geschützt.