London’s Dark Room Socials, a collective of over 100 photographers, will present its latest group show, Finding the Light, at Espacio Gallery between 22-28 September.
Sponsored by lighting innovators Astera, the exhibition brings together 20 artists exploring light as both subject and metaphor.
Founded in 2024 by award-winning cinematographer Diana Olifirova, Dark Room Socials has rapidly grown into a diverse, self-led community of photographers.
In just one year, the collective has staged three exhibitions, fostered regular workshops and meet-ups, and become a platform that champions accessibility, experimentation, and new voices in photography.
According to Dark Room Socials, this show “invites audiences to consider light not only as a technical element of photography, but as a symbol of personal discovery, resilience, and transformation”.
Originating as a brief posed to the collective, asking members to reflect on their own journey to “find the light”, the exhibition features a range of responses from intimate portraits to bold conceptual series.
Olifirova said: “Finding the Light began as a simple idea, but it’s grown into something much bigger.
“As a collective made up largely of filmmakers and image-makers, we wanted a theme that could be both technical and metaphorical. Light is at the core of what we do, but it’s also about the personal journeys we’re all on.
“No matter how dark things feel at times, there’s always the possibility of finding and reversing that energy into something brighter. That’s what this exhibition is about, finding the light in art, in work, and, most importantly, in each other.”
As part of the collaboration with Astera, visitors will also be invited to take part in a public competition by voting for their favourite photograph. The artist with the most votes will receive an Astera HydraPanel lighting package.
Bengi Güven, head of marketing at Astera, said: “Astera enthusiastically partners with Diana Olifirova and Dark Room Socials to support the Finding the Light exhibition.
“It is a natural collaboration for us because Astera is devoted to bringing visual artists exceptional illumination tools to enhance their creativity.
“We are excited that QuikPunch, NYX Bulb, LunaBulb and Titan Tubes will help show off the artists’ works and the gallery in optimum lighting, thanks to the colour science of Astera’s Titan LED Engine.”
Special events include a Private View on Monday 22 September at 6pm, and a Midweek Party on Thursday 25 September from 6pm until late.
Free tickets are available now via Eventbrite.
Visitors will also be able to take part in a series of hands-on workshops, including:
- 23 Sept – Cyanotype Workshop with Marion Gabrielle
- 25 Sept – Creative Use of Mylar with Tassia Quirino
- 25 Sept – Storytelling in a Portrait with Ravi Chandarana
- 26 Sept – Portrait with One Light with Diana Olifirova
- 26 Sept – Cinematic Lighting with Charlie Lodge and Anastasia Cherkasyuk
