Richmond, Virginia, 18 Dec 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Jens Mauthe, an amateur film photographer based in Richmond, Virginia, has released an expanded body of work examining quiet interior spaces and overlooked urban environments throughout the city. The series continues his long-term focus on analog photography and traditional darkroom printing, with every image produced as a finished physical print.
The project was developed over an extended period using fully manual 35mm and medium format cameras. Mauthe shot black and white film exclusively and avoided digital capture at every stage. All film development, contact printing, and final enlargements were completed in his home darkroom using fiber-based paper and archival processing methods.
The series avoids recognizable landmarks and avoids human subjects. The photographs focus instead on empty rooms, corridors, stairwells, industrial remnants, and transitional spaces where function outweighs decoration. Light behavior, surface wear, and structural geometry guide the compositions. The work reflects sustained observation rather than moment-based capture.
Mauthe approached the series with a controlled and repeatable workflow. Exposure data was recorded for every roll of film. Film stocks were tested across similar lighting conditions to evaluate grain, contrast response, and tonal separation. Developer dilutions, temperatures, and agitation cycles remained consistent across the project to reduce variation.
Printing decisions played a central role in shaping the final images. Each negative went through multiple work prints before reaching a finished version. Test strips were used to refine exposure and contrast. Paper selection and contrast filtration were adjusted incrementally to preserve midtone detail and edge clarity. The final prints represent deliberate refinement rather than single-pass output.
The project developed through repeated walks in familiar Richmond neighborhoods. Mauthe returned to the same locations over weeks and months to observe changes in light and space. Familiarity removed novelty and supported technical focus. This repetition allowed subtle adjustments in exposure and printing rather than constant visual reinvention.
Each photograph exists as a physical object. Prints were washed, dried, and flattened using archival methods to ensure stability. Mauthe evaluated images under consistent lighting conditions rather than on screens. Density, paper texture, and tonal balance determined final selections.
The full series appears on Mauthe’s website alongside detailed process documentation. Contact sheets, exposure notes, film stock comparisons, and darkroom records accompany the finished prints. This structure preserves the decision-making process behind each image and reflects a belief in transparency and documentation.
The website functions as a working archive rather than a promotional gallery. Images appear alongside technical context. Successful prints and rejected attempts remain visible. The intent stays honest and instructional rather than curated for effect.
Photography remains a personal pursuit for Mauthe. The series was not produced for commercial licensing, client work, or exhibition deadlines. The release marks the completion of a defined phase within an ongoing practice. Each project closes only after printing standards are met.
Richmond continues to serve as a consistent source of subject matter. Aging buildings, utilitarian interiors, and transitional zones offer controlled visual complexity. Mauthe works within limited geographic and technical boundaries to maintain consistency across projects.
Future work will follow the same structure. Limited equipment. Repeated locations. Full documentation. Physical output. The objective stays unchanged. Produce photographs through a disciplined analog process and preserve the work as finished prints rather than digital files.
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