For almost ten years, the Syrian photographer Serbest Salih has been leading free photography workshops in southern Turkey, driving a caravan that serves as a mobile darkroom from town to town and handing out autofocus cameras and film to the local kids to document their lives. In 2021, Salih published a book of his students’ photographs. Last year, he was named one of GQ’s “Men of the Year”. And this summer, Salih launched his own organisation, Fotohane Darkroom with the Turkish photographer Amar Kılıç—continuing to work in southwestern Turkey in order to “bring hope and beauty into the lives of children affected by conflict and war”.
Like Salih himself, many of his young students are refugees—some of the millions who have fled Syria for Turkey ever since the civil war broke out in 2011. Salih is originally from Kobanî, Syria, right next to the Turkish border. He crossed the border in 2014, eventually settling in Mardin, a historic city about 250km to the east.
Fotohane Darkroom student photograph Courtesy Fotohane Darkroom
Fotohane Darkroom’s classes bring together children of different ages and from a variety of backgrounds. The workshops start with lessons on composition and photography as a means of documenting social issues, then the kids are let loose to photograph whatever they want. After a couple weeks, they learn to develop their own film and make prints in the black-and-white darkroom. Thereafter, they work independently, with Salih and Kılıç acting as mentors.
“We’re always trying to change the programme and method of the workshops,” Salih says. “We’re also learning from the children. It’s an exchange of learning between us.”
Fotohane Darkroom student photograph Courtesy Fotohane Darkroom
The workshops not only give students a chance to express themselves and learn the basics of photography, but also to get to know each other. It is as much an art class as a community-building exercise—something that is increasingly important, since tensions have been growing in the region as a result of economic hardship and political strife. Salih and Kılıç teach the classes in Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic. They encourage the kids’ families to get to know each other as well.
Part of Fotohane Darkroom’s mission is “nurturing childhoods and combating stereotypes, providing opportunities for children to grow, learn and embrace their youth at their own pace”. This is evident in the pictures the students create—of their friends, families, pets and surroundings. Perhaps surprisingly, given their proximity to war, the images are often joyful. Just kids being kids.
- Fotohane Darkroom is always looking for used cameras to provide its students. Donations may be mailed directly to Şar, 224 Sarısu Sokak No: 3, 47100 Artuklu/Mardin, Turkey. Or contact info@fotohane.org.
