When we first met with the owners of Safelight Labs and Camera Exposure, we instantly hit it off. After all, this is a used camera store and photo lab and we’ve been working for decades as photojournalists. We had a few things to chat about …

We pitched overhauling Safelight’s website and adding an important feature: a news section that would tell stories about the San Diego community through the eyes of the photographers who develop their film at Safelight Labs. Thousands of people every year bring film to be processed, making Safelight a veritable story factory.

• Overhauled Safelight’s website and integrated Camera Exposure and Safelight Labs brands into one unified presence
• Created “Developing Stories,” a news section featuring stories about the San Diego community through photographers’ eyes
• Managed the news section with a dedicated reporter and project management tools
• Coordinated with Safelight’s social media team for seamless public sharing

Photographers were thrilled to have their work featured and the news section became the centerpiece of a community-building effort that also involved the opening of Safelight’s community darkroom in early 2025.