CPB Foundation • Chennai • 15th & 16th August, 2026
Join
us for a weekend of photography, conversations, 16mm projection,
photobooks and analogue experiences across the CPB Foundation.
Take a look at everything happening over the weekend.
Darkroom Open House
Step inside the CPB Community Darkroom and explore the equipment, processes and people behind our everyday work. Walk through a functioning analog darkroom.
You can also browse our analog camera store, meet the Darkroom team and learn more about our workshops, services and ongoing experiments. Photographs, prints and personal projects created by members of the team will be displayed throughout the space, offering a closer look at the different practices that emerge from the Darkroom.
Drop in at any time during the Open House and explore the space at your own pace.
Date: Saturday, 15th August 2026
Timings: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM
Film Camera Assessment and Repair
Have an old film camera that you have not used in years, or one that you are unsure is working correctly? Bring it along for an assessment by our team.
We will examine the camera’s overall condition, check its basic mechanical and electronic functions, and identify any visible issues that may affect its use. Based on the assessment, we will let you know whether the camera is ready to shoot or requires cleaning, servicing or repair.
If repairs are required, the camera will be sent to our trusted technician. Repairs generally take approximately 3–4 weeks, depending on the camera’s condition and the availability of replacement parts. The repair cost will be charged once the work has been completed.
Date: 15–16th August 2026
Timings: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM
Garage Sale
Browse a changing selection of film cameras, lenses, photographic equipment, accessories and other analog finds at special prices. The Garage Sale will bring together a mix of useful equipment, older photographic objects and unexpected items waiting to be rediscovered.
Whether you are looking for your first film camera, searching for a missing accessory, adding to your collection or simply curious to see what is available, stop by and take a closer look. Every item will be available in limited quantities, so what you find may change throughout the day.
Date: 15–16th August 2026
Timings: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM
Archival Printing Pop-up with Karthik
Looking to have your photographs made into archival prints? Visit the Inspire Madras pop-up, meet master printer Karthik and discuss your printing requirements directly with him. Bring your print-ready digital files, explore the available papers and print samples, and place an order for your photographs to be printed.
A live printing demonstration will run during the pop-up, offering visitors a glimpse into the archival inkjet printing process. Orders taken during the event will be produced by Inspire Madras and delivered at a later date.
Date & Timings: 15th August, 12:00 PM–5:00 PM
Date & Timings: 16th August, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
Photobook Reading Room
Take a break from the day’s activities and spend some time in the CPB Photobook Reading Room. Explore a curated collection that brings together well-known titles, rare photobooks and distinctive publications from India and around the world.
Discover different photographic practices, visual narratives and approaches to bookmaking, or simply pick up a book that catches your attention. Browse at your own pace and spend time with photography in its printed form.
Date: 15-16th August 2026
Timings: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM
Large Format Portrait Experience
Step in front of a large format camera and have your portrait made using traditional analog processes. Unlike the quick and immediate nature of digital photography, working with a large format camera is slower and more deliberate, giving each portrait a distinctive presence and character.
After the exposure is made, the negative will be developed in the CPB Community Darkroom and, contact printed by hand. The result is a one-of-a-kind photographic print created through a completely analog process.
This is a portrait-making experience rather than a workshop. Simply arrive at your allotted time and have your portrait made by the CPB Darkroom team.
Date: Saturday, 15th August 2026
Timings: 10:00 AM–1:00 PM and 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
Pinhole Photography Experience
Discover how a photograph can be made without a lens, viewfinder or complicated camera controls. A pinhole camera uses only a tiny opening to allow light into a light-tight box, creating an image through one of photography’s most fundamental principles.
You will receive a pre-loaded pinhole camera and a brief introduction to making an exposure. Once you have created your photograph, return to the CPB Community Darkroom, where our team will guide you through developing the image by hand and watching it emerge for the first time.
This hands-on experience takes you through the complete process. From making an exposure to developing the final image in the Darkroom. All required cameras and materials will be provided.
Date: Sunday, 16th August 2026
Timings: 10:00 AM–1:00 PM and 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
Analog Meet-up & Black-and-White Slide Projection
Join photographers, artists, collectors and analog enthusiasts for an informal evening centred around film photography. Meet others working with analog processes, share experiences, discuss cameras and materials, and exchange ideas about ongoing work and photographic practice.
Whether you have been shooting film for years, are experimenting with darkroom processes or are only beginning to explore analog photography, the meet-up offers an opportunity to connect with others who share your interest.
The evening will also feature a projected showcase of slides made by the CPB team using Ulta, our black-and-white reversal film. The photographs will be projected directly from film, allowing audiences to experience black-and-white images as physical transparencies illuminated on screen.
Date: Saturday, 15th August 2026
Timings: 05:00 PM–07:00 PM
16mm Movie Screening
Join us for a special screening of a Tamil feature film presented on 16mm using traditional film projectors.
The film was originally shot on 35mm and will be screened from a 16mm print. Projected directly from film, the screening offers an opportunity to experience the distinctive texture, movement, flicker and mechanical rhythm of photochemical cinema.
The film has a runtime of approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes. Please arrive early so everyone can be seated before the projection begins, and plan to remain for the complete screening.
Date: Sunday, 16th August 2026
Timings: 6:00 PM–9:00 PM
