Richmond, Virginia Mar 9, 2026  – On a typical evening, when many photographers are sorting through countless digital images on a computer, Jens Mauthe is standing in complete darkness.

He means this literally.

Mauthe, an analog film photographer based in Richmond, passes his nights in a personal darkroom he constructed and equipped himself—manually developing black and white film rolls, printing contact sheets, and creating final images on fiber-based paper with archival chemicals and a classic enlarger. This is the identical method used by photographers for decades prior to the invention of digital cameras. For Mauthe, it has never seemed more pertinent.

“My motivation isn’t simply to stand out,” Mauthe states. “I do it because I truly think the method creates superior photographs. Taking your time compels more thoughtful choices. Every single time.”

Mauthe’s approach—centered completely on 35mm and medium format film cameras, manually processed film, and darkroom printing—has expanded gradually via personal recommendations, a compact yet devoted clientele, and a standing for technical reliability that is uncommon in a field ruled by haste and quantity. His photography concentrates on serene, frequently ignored settings: vacant industrial sites, aging building interiors, surfaces smoothed by years of wear. Images that invite you to pause, not swipe past.

A Practice Built on Discipline, Not Volume

Mauthe transitioned to film photography after many years of digital shooting, during which he became progressively dissatisfied with his own process. “I possessed thousands of photos but felt I had nothing substantive,” he remembers. “I wasn’t consciously choosing shots. I was merely taking pictures and wishing for a good result.”

Adopting film altered that dynamic instantly. With a limited number of shots on every roll, Mauthe began to work more deliberately, observing the light carefully, and fully deciding on a composition before tripping the shutter. The pictures that resulted were less numerous, but more defined in their purpose.

He learned film development through library resources and online communities, transforming an extra bathroom in his Richmond residence into a working darkroom over several months. Now, the area is completely set up with two enlargers, a system for temperature-regulated processing, and shelves filled with chemical supplies he obtains and blends personally.

Each completed print that exits Mauthe’s darkroom comes with a technical account—a handwritten or typed note that records the type of film used, development durations, dilution levels, paper type, and exposure settings for printing. This is a routine he started early on and has always maintained.

“Without understanding the reason behind a print’s appearance, I cannot replicate it,” he explains. “That record-keeping is absolutely essential.”

Quiet Work, Growing Recognition

Mauthe’s prints have been acquired by collectors in Virginia, New York, and the Pacific Northwest—many of whom found his work via photography discussion boards and niche publications focused on analog techniques. He has participated in two collective shows in Richmond and just wrapped up his debut solo exhibition at a gallery in the Scott’s Addition district, where nearly every piece was purchased during the opening weekend.

The reaction was unexpected to him, although maybe it was predictable. In a time of AI-created pictures, limitless digital copying, and photos that live mostly on displays, there is an increasing desire for images that are crafted by hand, physically lasting, and not suited for large-scale production.

“When individuals hold the print, a connection occurs,” Mauthe observes. “They perceive its authenticity. That a person crafted it. That it is unique. I believe there is a strong craving for that experience currently.”

He is presently working on a new series centered on Richmond’s historic industrial zone—warehouses, loading docks, and factory spaces that are gradually vanishing as the city’s redevelopment quickens. The endeavor is anticipated to yield about thirty final prints within the next year.

About Jens Mauthe

Jens Mauthe is an analog film photographer from Richmond, Virginia, who specializes in black and white darkroom printing. He uses only mechanical film cameras and creates all end prints in his own home darkroom employing conventional enlargers, fiber-based paper, and archival-grade chemicals. His art is included in private collections throughout the United States.