In a world where images are captured, filtered, and shared in seconds, a quiet revolution is taking place in Florence — one that celebrates slowness, craft, and anticipation. It’s called Rollbox, a simple yet poetic idea created by two Italian photographers, Antonio Logarzo and Niccolò Romagnoli.
Their concept is both charming and practical: small mailboxes placed in bookshops and cultural cafés around the city where anyone can drop off a film roll to be developed. Once the roll is inside, the “magic” begins. Logarzo and Romagnoli collect the rullini by bike, take them to their darkroom, and return the developed photos within a few days.
Currently, there are four Rollboxes in Florence:
- Libreria Brac, Via dei Vagellai
- Todo Modo, Via dei Fossi
- La Cité, Borgo San Frediano
- Libri Liberi, Via San Gallo
A fifth Rollbox will open in Sant’Ambrogio in November — a fitting addition in one of the city’s liveliest neighborhoods.
A simple mechanism with a touch of poetry
Each Rollbox has a small QR code on its front. Scanning it leads to a short online form where users can enter their name, email address, and choose the type of service:
- Black and white development and scanning
- Color development and scanning
- Black and white development only
- Color development only
- Black and white development and contact sheet
Later on, in the studio, starting from the negatives, contact sheets, or scans, we can meet and review the material together to decide which photos to print on silver gelatin paper.
Once the form is completed, you simply slip the roll through the slot and wait. Within a few days, the negatives — and, if requested, the digital scans or physical prints — are ready for collection.
“We wanted to create a system that combines technology and craftsmanship,” explains Antonio Logarzo. “You scan a QR code, but everything else happens by hand — from mixing the chemicals to developing the film. Each roll receives the care it deserves.”
“Rollbox is not just a container,” adds Niccolò Romagnoli. “It’s a way of reconnecting people with photography as a material, physical act. It’s a small ritual that brings together beginners and professionals, the curious and the nostalgic.”
Born in San Niccolò, inspired by Berlin
The idea took shape in early 2024, when Romagnoli returned from Berlin, where he had seen similar initiatives, and met Logarzo at the historic studio of Sandro Michahelles in Via di San Niccolò. Both had trained under the same mentors — Rino and Marilena of Fotomorgana — and shared a deep affection for the analog process.
Their friendship quickly turned into a creative partnership, rooted in the belief that analog photography is not just a technique, but a mindset.
“Developing film requires solitude and patience,” says Logarzo. “In the darkroom, time slows down. You hear only the sound of the water, the ticking of a clock, or some good music. It’s a moment of tension and calm, a return to the essence of the image. Every development is different: depending on the film, the chemicals, and the timing, the result can change in subtle, unpredictable ways. It’s always a surprise.”
Slow photography as a way of life
For Logarzo and Romagnoli, the Rollbox is a manifesto against the disposable nature of digital culture. The act of waiting for a roll to be developed — of not knowing what’s inside — becomes an experience in itself.
“In the negative,” says Romagnoli, “you can almost sense the smells, sounds, and emotions of the moment. They’re real, tangible memories. Analog photography restores meaning to the act of remembering.”
Every stage of their process — from preparing the chemicals to scanning the negatives — is done manually. The two often work late into the night, alternating between their bikes and the darkroom.
“We could never compete with automated labs in speed,” they admit, “but we offer something those machines can’t: a human rhythm, an attention to detail, and a relationship with those who trust us with their images. Over these past months, our clients, students, professionals, and the simply curious, seem to have appreciated exactly that: the chance to talk, exchange ideas, and share opinions about the films they bring us.”
A Collective Growing Around Film
What began as a small experiment has quickly become a micro-collective of analog photographers in Florence. Some customers are professionals; others are young travelers or locals rediscovering the pleasure of shooting on film.
“We’ve developed rolls from tourists who stumbled upon a Rollbox while walking through the city,” says Romagnoli. “They came back weeks later with friends. That’s exactly what we hoped for, a human connection born from a simple gesture.”
The two photographers are now planning to organize collective events, exhibitions, and workshops, turning Rollbox into a meeting point for anyone interested in rediscovering the tangible side of photography.
“We’re not against technology,” says Logarzo. “We just think there’s value in slowing down, in touching, measuring, waiting. Photography, for us, is not just about images, it’s about presence.”
How to try it
If you’re visiting Florence and have a 35mm or medium format film, you can drop it in any of the Rollboxes listed above. Just scan the QR code, fill out the form, and let Antonio and Niccolò take care of the rest.
Your photos will be ready within a few days — and you might just discover that, in Florence, even waiting can become a form of art.
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Eirini Lavrentiadou is an actress and singer, born in Thessaloniki in 1992. She lives in Florence, where she trained at the city’s Theatre Academy and the Fiesole School of Music. She has performed in classical Greek and European plays, worked with international directors and companies, and appeared in concerts ranging from opera to jazz. She contributes to Florence Daily News as a writer.
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