About us
Moi, we're Hugo and Cody
Two friends from Appingedam with a photo lab in Groningen.
Our story
The long version
We grew up on the same street in Appingedam and built Lego together as kids. In the years after, there were plenty of side quests, from building Minecraft servers to a gift for the King. This is the first one with a company registration number.
That it became a photo lab is down to timing. Hugo discovered analogue photography, and what started as a hobby soon became his passion. After a few years in IT, he also knew he didn't want to continue his career there.
Meanwhile, Cody had spent five years building his own non-profit and had finished his studies in Entrepreneurship and Retail Management. He was ready for a new challenge and wanted to try something commercial. His drive to start a business and Hugo's passion for film came together at just the right moment.
Plenty of people in Groningen and the rest of the northern Netherlands shoot on film. There are few places to meet each other, so we're building one ourselves. A place we would love to go to ourselves, with a lab that develops every roll with care and a shop where you stay a while for honest advice, a chat or a workshop.
Running a shop and a lab is new for both of us. If something's missing or could be better, just tell us. We're learning as we go.
Who does what
Brings the film
Hugo Dijkstra
Hugo brought analogue photography into our lives. He knows the machines inside out and wrote the software that guides every roll through the lab. If something jams, he's halfway under it before you've even noticed.
"Film makes you slow down. I love that slow, raw quality, and it only gets really fun when you share it with others."
Brings people together
Cody Rozema
Cody brought the drive to start a business. He keeps things on track, from the numbers to the design, and has a knack for bringing people together.
"To be honest, I still have a lot to learn about film. I learn from Hugo every day. If I can learn it, anyone can."
You'll find both of us behind the scanner, at the printer and in the shop.
How we work
01
Honest work
We take the craft seriously and only promise what we can deliver. Your film goes through our own hands from drop-off to scan, in our own lab.
02
By hand
Our machines are second-hand and refurbished, and Hugo maintains them himself. We refill our own party cameras with film by hand. It takes time, but it saves a mountain of waste.
03
Room for others
In the shop, we keep space for local photographers to exhibit their work, and local makers sell their publications through us. If you want to develop your own film, you can rent our darkroom.
04
The door is open
You don't need to be an expert to come to us. We're just as happy to help beginners as experienced photographers, and we explain everything in plain language.
Your photos stay yours
Hugo built our photo server himself. Your scans are stored on it encrypted and only reach you through a secure link. We look at them once during the check, in a lab where phones aren't allowed.