BINGHAMTON, NY – Today, Senator Webb presented Binghamton Photo Lab with a NYS Empire Award. The NYS Empire Award is the highest award a NYS Senator can bestow upon businesses and organizations in their district.

Said Alexis Tauterouff, manager of Binghamton Photo Lab, “We sincerely appreciate this recognition from Senator Webb. Binghamton Photo Lab is a treasure in the Southern Tier and I am so grateful to be honored by the Senator and New York State. As technology continues to expand, physical media is increasingly rare. Film photography and printed photos are permanent tokens of memories shared between friends, families, and the community. I love providing our unique services to the area and hope that we can continue to make permanent keepsakes for years to come.” 

“Binghamton Photo Lab is the only community darkroom and photo lab in all of Senate District 52,” said Senator Lea Webb. “As a strong supporter of the arts, I am grateful to the photo lab for filling this gap in our community and for preserving the art of developing and printing film in the digital age. I am proud to honor them with an Empire Award for their dedication to ensuring community arts are accessible for all.” 

Binghamton Photo Lab has become a vital creative resource in Broome County, serving as the region’s only community darkroom and photo lab and providing residents across the Southern Tier with access to the photographic arts. Operating as a project of the Bundy Museum of History & Art, Binghamton Photo plays a critical role in preserving traditional photographic processes while fostering education and community connection.

Founded with the goal of making photographic tools and knowledge accessible to all, Binghamton Photo Lab offers a shared space where artists, students, hobbyists, and professionals alike can develop film, print photographs, and deepen their understanding of analog photography. In an era when access to darkrooms has largely disappeared, the lab has filled an essential gap, ensuring that these skills and practices remain available to the public.

By welcoming members of varying experience levels, Binghamton Photo creates opportunities for learning, mentorship, and creative exchange. Its affiliation with the Bundy Museum of History & Art and the support of SUNY Broome Community College’s Communication & Media Arts Department further strengthen its role as a bridge between arts education, historical preservation, and contemporary practice.

Photos from this event can be found here. 

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