For many, the pandemic afforded time and space to think critically and creatively about what they wanted their lives to look and feel like. Some picked up new hobbies or professional pursuits. Others removed unnecessary people and things. Photographers and friends since 2009, Russell Frederick and Anderson Zaca decided to take action on something that had been frustrating them both for many years — the lack of recognition and the scarcity of opportunities for Black photographers in mainstream media. The duo’s clever slogan, “We turn negatives into positives,” encapsulates what their series, “Darkroom MCs,” sets out to do.
The Webby-nominated, five-part documentary series, which premiered on ALL ARTS in 2025, uses a freewheeling yet intimate style. Explained Zaca, “I don’t like talking-head style documentaries. When you watch the series, you see non-stop action. We wanted to bring something different. That freedom was magical and you can see it on the screen.” Frederick elaborates, saying, “We wanted to have it like something soulful, fun, hip hop, and we wanted it to be high energy.”
One example of the challenging terrain they travel as Black photographers was a New York Times feature on block parties. Frederick emphasized, “They never reached out to Zaca, who had spent a decade studying and photographing block parties and had written a book on the subject.”
An even bigger impetus was the realization that the problem spanned generations. “In talking to our [photographer] elders, our mentors,” Frederick stated, “They were speaking about the same frustrations that they experienced 50 years ago.”
With “Darkroom MCs,” co-produced by Zaca, Frederick, PBS, and ALL ARTS, Zaca and Frederick also attempt to preserve what they fear is becoming a dying art form. Frederick explained, “We wanted to see how we could preserve it and really highlight the work of people who were underrepresented, and to really let the world hear the stories behind their pictures, from their voices unfiltered.”
The first season highlighted the work of Beuford Smith, Joseph Hernandez, Adama Delphine Fawundu, Ozier Muhammad, and Frederick himself, who chronicled the joys and challenges of his practicing photography while experiencing glaucoma. The two were careful to point out that they made a concerted effort to include more women in season one, but scheduling constraints prevented it. They plan to remedy that in a women-only season two.
Both Frederick and Zaca have practiced photography for roughly thirty years with Frederick describing himself as “self-taught.” Zaca, who states he “fell in love with photography in the darkroom,” earned both film and photography degrees at Brooklyn College. He describes his work as “a celebration,” with an overarching motivation to bring joy to Black and Brown people through his work, even as he captures their joy on film for others to witness.
The need to show the fullness of Black and Brown representation often missing from mainstream representations was the catalyst for Zaca’s work. He explains, “My first book was called “Block Party: NYC Soul of Summer,” [in] which I documented for 10 years over 300 block parties in the five boroughs. I wanted to document that and bring a positive image.”
Much of Frederick’s work depicts political figures as well as ordinary Black people in everyday moments and moments of extraordinary emotion. He describes his work as, “Visual activism and redefining the image of Black, Brown, and marginalized people through documentary, environmental portraits, as well as journalistic images. I also do a little fashion too.”
Multiple figures inspired Frederick, including series subject Joseph Hernandez and the photographers of the historic Kamoinge Workshop. It was Hernandez who introduced him to the legend Roy DeCarava’s seminal 1955 book, “The Sweet Flypaper of Life.” He recalls, “It completely changed my world. It’s pretty much the Black photographers’ Bible. Langston Hughes wrote the text. It was the first photography book to show Black people in a dignified manner.”
The two also wanted to emphasize that actively collecting photography such as theirs is a vital way to preserve history and to see it as an asset that can be a source of increased wealth over time. Said Frederick, “The way you can support us is by purchasing a piece of our collection. It’s also super important for our community to learn that art is another tangible asset that does not depreciate in value.”
“Darkroom MCs” not only takes photographers of color from the margin to the center, but demystifies the process of producing images. Each episode brings the viewer into the darkroom. Zaca stated, “The darkroom, as I always say, is our church. It’s a place where photographers who have been in the darkroom have a very important experience. Aside from taking photographs, we meditate. We wanted that safe space to be part of our series. So most of the episodes take place partially in a darkroom.”
They are currently trying to secure funding for season two and hope audiences will be able to see it in the summer or fall of 2027. Frederick states, “[The] Trump administration targeted PBS to defund them and that has impacted their production and operation budgets. So with that we’re looking to find a new platform.”
The two also believe photography can play a critical role in combatting some of the erasure of history that appears to be proceeding. “It is critical,” emphasized Frederick, “especially at this time, and this is why our voice, our perspectives, and these photographs that we have, these archives we created, are so important.”
For more info, visit pbs.org/show/the-darkroom-mcs and allarts.org/programs/the-darkroom-mcs.