film

Brackish River Valley: Eric Kaczmarczyk

December 20, 2020 in interview

Brackish River Valley: Eric Kaczmarczyk

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who aren't familiar with you and your work, would you mind introducing yourself?

Eric Kaczmarczyk (EK): Hi, my name is Eric Kaczmarczyk, I'm an artist-photographer living and working in the Lower Hudson Valley region of New York State. My artwork is primarily made within the environment in which I live; whether it be a landscape, a cityscape, a still life, an abstraction, or the occasional portrait. Photography for me is a way to connect with my surroundings and ultimately, a way to process my own psychology. As I continue to explore, film photography has been my medium of choice, in part due to its slowness - developing, scanning, editing, printing -gives me time to sleep on it all.

ADM: We're talking about Brackish River Valley - you open with the words that make the title being defined, and have a brief afterword - could you expound on the concept and impetus for the project?

EK: The photographs I've made over the past several years were without a specific intention or end goal in mind. Before coming up with the final name for the book, I had the word "river" stuck in my head... and I kept thinking, what about river, why river. As I learned more about the area, I came to understand that the Hudson River is brackish; a mixture of salt and freshwater. When the ocean tide rises, the river flows northward; when the ocean tide falls it flows southward - at least in the lower part of the river. In the afterword, I mention that the "mayor was covering everything in concrete" as a way to acknowledge that there were several large scale construction projects going on around this time, erecting residential towers and complexes. Not everything was being covered, in fact, there was some uncovering. There used to be a large parking lot in the center of town which they removed and re-exposed part of the Saw Mill River that was buried underneath years ago. There was still little-to-no grass in the nearby parks, most everything was concrete with a few trees and some flowers.

ADM: I find the photos in Brackish River Valley to be very formally pleasing - is there a particular meaning or throughline in the photos? What was your process for image-making - and following that - you handmade/bound the project - is there extra significance to that handmade approach?

EK: Symbolically - the mixture of salty and fresh water, flowing two different directions, the struggle between concrete and nature and the conflict of old and new - were all on my mind while making this work. Not only did this help me understand the environment that I stepped into, but also helped me understand my internal dialogue. I used to be a very rigid creator, thinking of a concept then illustrating that concept. For me, this left me stuck behind the emotional walls that I've unintentionally built. Through making this work specifically, while undergoing a life transition of my own, I felt the impact of covering things in concrete. I think making this book by hand is relatable back to why I shoot film - it was a slow, intimate process, giving me a lot of time to gain clarity.

ADM: Are there any images that you would point to explain the project to an outsider, or that encapsulate the project best (from your perspective), and why or why not?

EK: I’d say, look at the pair of images where on the left is a light fixture and on the right is a building without a roof. This is one of my favorite uses of metaphor in the book where the light appears to illuminate the roofless building as a symbol for searching and introspection. Additionally, note the presence of a large shadow cast on the hillside, obscuring the view. Also, take a look at both the black-and-white image of the busy road and the color image of the parking garage with water in the foreground. Both of these images depict two examples of where the Saw Mill River was uncovered and parks lacking nature were built.

ADM: Recently, I saw you mention on IG that "Brackish River Valley has two more sequels coming next year, what are they about, and how does the book fit into that larger cycle?

EK: Yes! I have two more books planned, with different titles yet to be determined. This first book contains photographs from 2017 and 2018, all made within Yonkers which borders New York City to the north. The next book will contain photographs from 2019, all made between Yonkers and Sleepy Hollow, New York. During this time, I've transitioned to a new location further up the river. And finally, the third book will be photographs from 2020, all made within Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. Generally, the further north you go from New York City, the greener the landscape becomes. This may sound obvious to some, but for me, as I break down my emotional barriers, nature has played a major role.

ADM: Do you have a greater overall goal for the cycle of photobooks? does it have a name?

EK: Ever since I relocated to the Lower Hudson Valley several years ago, I’ve been fascinated by the river and the rivertowns. Not pictured in this first book, another geographic feature that caught my attention is the Old Croton Aqueduct which is now a hiking trail spanning 26 miles, running parallel to the river. Previously, the aqueduct provided fresh upstate water to New York City. Aside from the river being a mode of transportation for water and boats, it felt like a place to meditate, transporting thoughts. My overall goal is to document this transportation of thoughts while connecting with the physical environment. There is no name for the overall project yet.

ADM: In terms of influence, what were the major influences on Brackish River Valley, and the cycle at large? they can be photographic, or non-photographic.

EK: Several artists that come to mind are Sophie Calle, Laurie Anderson, Pipilloti Rist and Sol LeWitt. Aside from artist inspiration, one major influence on Brackish River Valley has been weekly talk therapy with a psychologist. I’ve always been an intuitive artist but, through depression and anxiety, this has helped me connect with my photographs in a more direct and conscious way. Another major influence goes back about 10 years, a college professor of mine who encouraged me to go out and make photographs without thinking or planning beforehand. This helped me ward off overthinking and make more room for reflection.

ADM: You've mentioned therapy and mental health - lately I've found a lot of photographers (myself included) use the medium as an outlet for their personal struggles - in your own words, or opinion, what is it about the medium that makes it so intuitive to the topic of mental health or illness?

EK: For me, one thing about photography that makes it such an intuitive medium is within the ephemeral nature of pressing the shutter button. Personally, in regards to my mental health, my ability to process emotions in the moment can be quite difficult, it takes me a while. If I make work with this in mind, and relinquish some control, this leaves a lot of room for the subconscious to do its work. Letting my mind wander and letting my intuition tell me what to make a picture of. In this state of mind, I feel that it's easier to simultaneously experience the moment and also make the picture, processing the emotions later on.

ADM: What does the Photobook format mean to you, and do you find it to be substantially different from the zine?

EK: I always found photobooks to be a great way to hold art in your hands and feel what the artist might’ve been feeling. Truthfully, I wasn’t fully certain whether to call this project a photobook, a zine or a chapbook… to me, it’s a type of hybrid between a photobook and a zine. I did want an intimate smaller book, and in a several book series, like a zine. I don’t find the various formats to be substantially different; they are all books and serve the same purpose of communicating artistic expression.

ADM: What advice or insight would you give to someone looking to contextualize their mental health or findings in therapy through photography?

EK: My best advice would be to not restrict yourself into one style, one theme, one type of photography. Having gone to art school, often, I felt that you can be pushed into overly developing a style in order to fit into a niche within the industry. In regards to mental health, and art, this can be quite suppressive. If you’re only photographing one subject matter, in one way, it will not be possible to access the far reaching complexities of one’s psychology. My second piece of advice would be to never stop asking questions to yourself; reflect, analyze the symbols, analyze the colors. Unrelated to my book, in college, I made gross food combinations, placed them on the sidewalk, asked four people to stand around, then photograph the scene from the knees down. About 10 years later, I realized it was a sort of rebellion to the superficial environment I was raised in, where food and appearance were the most important thing, more important than feelings.

ADM: From Al Palmer: What was the biggest single turning point for you as an artist?

EK: At first thought, I began to scan my recent achievements, my technical upgrades, my emotional freedom… even with some of this feeling like they’re big steps, it still feels more like a long term progression. Therefore, I’d have to say, the biggest turning point for me is not recent; it was as a teenager, the purchase of my first camera. It was my first major coping tool. I was able to navigate my world, soothing anxieties, the usual “hiding behind the camera” perspective. I tried expressing myself through drawing and painting but, I felt more clarity while looking through a lens. Personally, this is the most important to me because I discovered that I could communicate in ways that I could not with words.

ADM: What question do you have for the next photographer? You can answer it yourself if you'd like.

EK: What does a day in the life as a photographer, as an artist, as a person, look like for you? What time do you wake up, go to sleep? Outside of photography, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

ADM: Where can people purchase a copy of Brackish River Valley? I saw that you'd sold through your initial batch (congratulations!) will you have another pressing for sale alongside the next books in the cycle? Do you have any other parting words? -- Thanks again for the interview!

EK: Fortunately and unfortunately, the book is sold out! The next books in the cycle will be a continuation of similar subject and format and a good chance to pick up a copy. At the end of the cycle, I am hoping to put the several books together into one larger, hardcover book… but we will see! In the future, I may consider a second edition, but will not be handmade like the first edition. Lastly, for those who liked the book, or who missed the book, I am releasing a batch of images from the book as special edition prints that will be going up for sale soon. My only other parting words are a big thank you to frozenwaste.land for offering to interview me and to all my friends and colleagues who’ve shown invaluable support throughout this process.

“Film Photography” - a critical misnomer.

November 21, 2020 in Thinkpiece

“Film Photography” - a critical misnomer.

Andrew D. McClees, Edited by Maxime Lester and Billy Gomberg

“Film Photography” - a critical misnomer.

PC: Andrew D. McClees (2015) Typical Casual Formalist work.

Film or Analogue photography has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance over the last five to ten years. Kodak was reporting steady growth each year, over a three year period back in 2019. This growth can largely attributed to the growing niche or subculture of The Film Community on platforms like Flickr, and Instagram. The medium (rather than the subculture itself) hit a new level of notoriety in the modern era through support from and from celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Jason Momoa, and Jeff Bridges. For those not aware, the Film Community is a nebulous subculture within photography, mostly based entirely around shooting film as a hobby, largely in opposition to digital photography - a distinction largely pushed by companies including, but not limited to: The Darkroom, Film Photography Project, and Lomographic Corp - as a method of identity or lifestyle branding.

The Film Community has generated miniature social media (read +/- 100k followers, but no real presence outside social) celebrities (EX: Matt Day, Willem Verbeek, and Corey Wolfenberger) within it, notable for working on film and/or making content about analogue photography. These photographers of note, alongside their many disciples and imitators have dubbed themselves “film photographers.” At first glance, the term “film photographer” is applicable, it describes the medium that the practitioners work off of. However “Film Photographer” has largely come to denote an additional set of shared aesthetic criteria or commonalities which has very little to do with the fact that the work is shot on film - making the label at best colloquial, and at worst invalid. The term “Film Photography” has become a failure as a literal descriptor, and is primarily a colloquialism for a specific kind of formalist photography that happens to be shot on film while not commenting on film as a medium, and is secondarily used to denote a hobbyist who shoots film with no particular focus.

PC: Andrew D. McClees (2017) Casual Formalist Photography - with growing intent.

Every genre of photography can be defined by a set of criteria based on how the photograph is used (“Fine-Art” being a qualifier, rather than a genre or subgenre unto itself) and the subject matter contained in it. To pose some quick and simple examples: Landscape photography is about nature and the shape of the land, Portrait photography is about taking portrait photographs of people, Fashion is about showcasing different articles of clothing; the list goes on. So that poses the question: “What is “film photography” about?” Are the practitioners of so-called “film photography” doing photographic artwork about the film that they shoot on? Is the subject matter of their art directly relevant to the fact that they’re using film? Most often not. While there are artists who work in lens based mediums, alternative processes, and in photo-chemistry making art about the material that they use, they rarely call themselves “Film Photographers.”

The majority of the subject matter in “Film Photography” has nothing to do with the fact that it was shot on film. While much of the base aesthetic criteria associated with “film photography” is attributable to the medium and not the content; Grain, and Tonality being the most commonly cited positive features of film. Urban landscapes and diaristic slices of life are common topics and subjects in “Film Photography” but have little if anything to do with the fact that it was shot on film, and the tone and grain of film might add to the photo but they’re ultimately superficial features. There’s nothing about the subject matter that has to do with film — one could shoot the same photo on a digital camera and add all those touches (grain, tones, etc.) and for the most part nobody would know the difference unless you made them aware of it.

To invoke the bête noire of the film community: when was the last time a photographer who uses digital gear described themselves as a “digital photographer?” They don’t because it doesn’t actually matter to their work. If you want to describe yourself as someone who shoots or uses analog processes, that’s fine, but just as a use of language, consider using the term “film shooter” or at the very least if you’d consider adding a tag of “analog” or “film-based” onto your self description — ie “analog landscape photographer” that way I know you’re (rhetorical) a landscape photographer who shoots film. To offer up another angle there’s also the debate about hybrid vs. totally analogue processes, and the fact that every “film” or “analogue” image you see on the net had to be digitized in some format to get it on to the standard platforms of digital consumption. On top of that most of these images that are consumed via social media platforms were and are digitally edited - making it a debate on how “analogue” most of these images ultimately are.

Andrew D. McClees — Outtake From “DUSK” 2019 (Formalism as Expressionism)

“Film Photographer” in broad strokes has come to denote a casual or hobbyist photographer who takes snaps on film, usually in a moody style. That expression doesn’t adequately describe what the photographers in question are taking photos of - making the term colloquial at best. If one takes photos of one’s friends and family, why not call oneself a social photographer or a portrait photographer, or even a documentary photographer (personal gripes aside about passing off otherwise unremarkable family/friend photos off as art). If you shoot mostly to document your daily life, why not call yourself a documentary photographer, or a diaristic photographer, or something that speaks to what you do? There’s nothing wrong about being descriptive and specific about what you do or what you photograph. The term “Film Photographer” has created a ghettoized environment separate from the rest of photography. I’m not saying that we should abolish the film community or the tags associated with them, merely to point out that “film photographer” is meaningless and often has little to do with the medium itself, and fails to adequately describe most work under its umbrella.

So, now that I’ve gone to great length to describe why I think “Film Photography” has become bad terminology, let me offer up a potential academic term for it and an explanation of where I believe the movement’s artistic lineage stems from:

Casual Formalist Photography or “Casual Formalism.”

On its surface to the layman - Casual Formalism might sound like cognitive dissonance - it’s not so let me break down formalism first (in a broad definition), then I’ll circle back to the casual:

Formalism (in photography) is the part of photography that focuses on images that center on the “formal” elements - elements deriving from the “form” - Lighting, Composition, Tonality, and Medium (Film V. Digital etc). As opposed to realism (pure documentation - no perspective or decisions made) or expressionism (pure emotiveness or expression.) You can find a quick cheat sheet here.

Casual, at least in the manner I’m using it - refers to the broad assumption that most of the photographers doing this kind of work (ie Photos of conventionally attractive women, abandoned houses, “quirky suburbs,” old cars, or general nostalgia based photography) are not doing this as a serious artistic practice, nor are they aiming for a deeper purpose or commentary in their art. However, the photos being made are intentionally artistic enough to escape the label “vernacular” (going off of MOMA’s definition) in that they are created to be art, rather than truly commercial or documentary in nature.

I would offer up that most “film photographers” (or from here out “casual formalists,”) work very much in this formal scope - they aim to take aesthetically pleasing pictures that may or may not have some emotional or documentary (ie actively documenting a place or phenomena) perspective but tend to dwell mostly at surface level; e.g. a picture of a landscape or abandoned house that’s well lit and #shotonfilm might evoke a strong emotion, but ultimately it typically ends up being mostly about that composition and the lighting that gives it emotion - with a tertiary concern (from an outside perspective) being that it was shot on film - largely nothing about the photo actually matters that it was shot on the film except for the insider community knowledge.

Likewise, these photos rarely push the bounds of composition or structure in the formal sphere. The photos are often well composed, but they rarely push beyond standard practice enough to be notable for their composition, or a commentary on composition. On the topic of film itself, most of the photographers rarely actively consider or comment on the medium upon which their work is made, except for the superficial “Film is nostalgic, therefore this nostalgia based image (old cars, abandoned houses, vintage dress), is nostalgic,” making the fact that most of the images in the “film community” are shot on film almost entirely irrelevant to the images they shoot on that film. However, for whatever reason (perhaps it is that one singular superficial point, of film nostalgia) a lot of similar minded work ends up getting done on film, even though there’s absolutely nothing about it that necessitates being done on film.

“I hope those last four generations don’t look too far down on me” - Andrew D. McClees, 2019 from HARDLY LOCAL. (Documentary Photography with strong Formalist Elements as Expressionism)

This sort of lack of depth either in formalist concerns, or using those formal elements to pursue a deeper truth via expressionism or through documentarian studies is why I’ve deemed “casual” most of the art being made is by hobbyists - not professionals, or career artists. There’s largely nothing wrong with that - getting out and making art for personal fulfilment, as a hobby is a great thing in fact and largely beneficial to most who pursue it. My misgivings about it stem from a subset of photographers and creators riding their way to social media fame while offering up nothing in terms of critical or philosophical depth in their work.

In terms of stylistic origins I’d give equal credit to the Instagram algorithm (the propensity for the website’s algorithm to show people work or images that is relatively alike in nature), Stephen Shore, William Eggleston (along with Christenberry) and Todd Hido (though I’d argue all four are expressionist or documentary photographers who have strong understanding of formal elements). I realize there’s a whole subset of portrait and fashion photographers in The Film Community, but at the risk of getting meanspirited, most of them don’t have a whole lot of artistic lineage beyond “make a reasonable portrait of an attractive person,” though on the fashion tip there can be some legitimate artistic direction. There are many street photographers who still shoot film, but (in my experience) they tend to nest themselves more within the street photography community rather than say the film community even if there is some crossover.

Moving the scope in part I’ve derived the term from the trend of “zombie formalism” in painting. Though as a fellow photographer who started my current artistic career (not that on the whole I’d call it any great shakes as of now) in much the same spot, I don’t particularly hold the level of disdain for the movement the way Saltz seems to hold for it. Zombie Formalism lines up well with Casual Formalism in that both are superficial and relatively bland movements, but the comparison ends there - Zombie Formalism is a fine art movement and is typically only used to refer to a particular kind of abstract oil or mixed media painting, where Casual Formalism is a popular movement or practitioner base - though both have served as significant stumbling blocks for many practitioners in both movements, in that they can’t seem to move beyond or individuate themselves from the movement.

If you feel okay using “film photographer” after all this as a colloquium - that’s cool, as long as you’re aware. Likewise, please keep photographing, and keep shooting film. As long as you’re creating art, and getting something out of it, that’s the most important part. However as an actual definition of the whole artistic movement or the phenomena, or art itself, I believe it should be called Casual Formalism from here out - rather than “Film Photography.

After Hours // Golden Daze : Gavin Thomas Spellman

July 19, 2020 in interview

After Hours // Golden Daze : Gavin Thomas Spellman

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who aren't familiar, could you introduce yourself, and give us an overview of your work?

Gavin Thomas Spellman (GTS): Hi, my name is Gavin Spellman. I’m a film photographer from Bath, Maine. I got into film roughly 11 years ago. After a LONG hiatus I picked it back up again. My work is sort of all over the place. From portraits to landscapes, still lifes to vehicles, I just want to create something beautiful.

ADM: What was the impetus to make After Hours/Golden Daze - how did you reach the idea of making a "dual zine" ? Was the zine created with the or a specific concept in mind, or did you build it out of an extant photo pool?

GTS: I had been thinking of putting out a zine for a while. i had just got into night photography and thought that would be a good theme to roll with, therefore "After Hours" was born. in the process of choosing photos and laying it out i kept returning to my daytime/golden hour shots. i became conflicted and wanted to make a project of those as well. So one day it just sort of clicked, i could combine the two themes. Though very different, the narratives share similarities. The zine split down the middle with no back cover. the back of one is the front of the other (if that makes sense haha).

ADM: You mention narrative - could you flesh it out for us - as in, what the narrative is - implied or otherwise is for the zines; and how you put them together?

GTS: I set the narrative up as if the reader was sort of being taken on a walk. Both zines start at an apartment. As you turn the pages you're brought to different locations, places that aren't necessarily in proximity of each other in reality, but as far as the story goes they are a part of the short little journey. As you continue on, the story brings you back and ends at the apartment at which you started.

ADM: What were the influences for After Hours/Golden Daze - photographpic or otherwise?

GTS: I just really wanted to make something different, a zine that sort of stands out in a crowd. The "After Hours" side was highly influenced by Todd Hido’s work in his book "House Hunting", also influenced by a fellow film photographer, Walter Lodzinski (@risenbeforedawn) His night photography work really got me interested in shooting after dark. As far as the influence for "Golden Daze" goes, i have just always been drawn to the way light paints itself beautifully onto otherwise ordinary scenes.

ADM: How do you think working in the dark influenced your process or narrative?

GTS: shooting at night is definitely a learning curve and i haven't quite mastered it yet. for me it's a lot slower. i have my tripod, and my shutter cable. when metering you have to compensate your exposures with the reciprocity factor in mind. so theres a little bit more calculating that goes into it. so as far as influence to my process goes, i think it has sort of taught me to pay more attention to light and the absence of light.

ADM: What do you generally think about while out shooting, is there a particular thought or visual process you have?

GTS: It all depends on the situation really - if I'm just out and about, I'll shoot whatever catches my eye. If I make a plan to visit a certain location, I'll slow down and approach it with a much more methodical process.

ADM: Can you speak on that methodical process a bit more, or like what the methodology is?

GTS: When I set out to a spot with the intent to photograph it I'll usually focus a lot more on my composition. I'll take multiple meter readings, and bracket my shots if I really like a composition, just so I have a few different exposures to choose from. Mostly it all comes down to finding exactly what I want in frame.

ADM: What was the zine assembly process like for you? Was there a moment where the zine, or dual zine clicked together for you - like particular image or sequence?

GTS: I used Adobe Indesign to lay it out, which was confusing at first but once you get the hang of it you fly right through. The difficult part was design one half of the zine upside-down. I would place a spread, flip it horizontally, then vertically, take a photo of my screen with my phone, flip that to see how the spread would look upright - if I liked it, I would keep it - if not - I'd start again (it was a pain in the ass haha).

The photo that really birthed the project was the cover of "After Hours". That was the starting point for me. Once I realized what I wanted to do I took the same photo at golden hour for the cover of "Golden Daze". I had recently bought "Cape Light" by Joel Meyerowitz, and one sequence in his book shows the same image taken at different times of day. It really shows you the effect that light has on color, and your subjects in photos. That really spoke to me.

ADM: Stepping left - how would you say your environment shapes the narrative, and the compositions?

GTS: The neighborhood I live in has a lot of the same looking brick buildings. I tried to make the shots of these buildings different in their own way. Either by using light or composing in different ways. The surrounding towns are all coastal, so I added a bit of that as well.

ADM: What advice would you give to someone working on night photography, and attempting to build a narrative around it?

GTS: Just try it. You are most definitely going to waste some film and have shots not come out how you envisioned, but don’t get discouraged. Once get a better understanding of your exposures you’ll get the results you’re looking for.

ADM: From Kwasi Boyd Bouldin: How do you want people to remember your work?

GTS: Any way they would like. I don’t really feel I can make people remember my work in any certain way, but as long as at it sparks some sort of feeling to the viewer, I’m happy.

ADM: What's one question you have for the next photographer? You can answer it yourself if you'd like.

GTS: Where do you find inspiration to create

ADM: Where can people order a copy of the zine, and see more of your work - any parting words?

GTS: My zine can be found at gavinspellmanphoto.bigcartel.com and my work can be found on Instagram: @gavin_thomas_spellman

I would just like to thank you for the opportunity to share my work and words. Thank you!

Hi, if you've read this far, thanks for reading! Typically we stump for donations here but in light of the ongoing protests we'd encourage you to donate to them instead. This whole text block is a link to a helpful linktree.

Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo: Dustin Davis

May 24, 2020 in interview

Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo: Dustin Davis

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who aren't familiar with you, could you please introduce yourself and give us an overview of your work?

Dustin Davis (DD): My name is Dustin Davis, based out of Fort Worth, Texas. I’ve been hobby shooting for about 10 years. As of the last year, year and a half (after moving to Texas), I’m attempting to make a more serious effort into creating work that matters to me. When I made the move to Texas, my inspiration came from the feeling of insignificance in a place that was much larger than I’m used to.

ADM: What was the impetus to document the Rodeo and Stock Show?

DD: I have always had an an interest in subcultures, as a whole. Growing up, my family and I were big into the BMX racing scene. We lived and breathed it. Interestingly enough, the stock show reminded me a lot of our time racing BMX.

Moving here, I knew what a rodeo was. I didn’t know what exactly the stock show portion of the event was though. Many people suggested to go to the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. It was a culture shock for me, to say the least. I think that’s what caused my desire to document it. I’m an outsider, taking in all sights, sounds and smells.

ADM: That's really interesting - did you ever shoot/or document the BMX racing scene when you were in it? also, as someone who's not super familiar with BMX or Rodoes - can you flesh out the similarities for me? Also, if you did document or photograph the BMX races, did you find your approach changing much if at all either due to time and experience, and subject matter when you started to work on the rodeo?

DD: I raced BMX when I was about 12-15(ish), and at that age I had no interest in photography. I was too obsessed with my bicycles. There wasn’t a lot of direct similarities between the two, but the main one was how much of a family event it is. There’s an overall feeling of friendly competition too. And the actual showing of the animal, reminds me of the race itself (just a little slower paced ha). Mind you, this is more of the stock show portion of the event, not so much the rodeo.

ADM: So far the images from the Rodeo that I've seen have all been in black and white. Why black and white over color, and will you continue the project in only black and white?

DD: I debated color vs black and white or even mixing the two before continuing this year. I had started it using black and white and wasn’t sure if including color would help or hurt the project. There is not a lot of color at the events (except the Escaramuza event), so I’m not sure the viewer would be missing out on much. Alternatively, there’s something about black and white that fits this subject matter.

ADM: That's tracks, the photos you have look really great, and it's really cohesive - that said, do you think you'd go back and do a separate section in color on the Escaramuza section?

DD: Thank you! I could see doing that. But I feel I would separate that work from the Stock Show work itself. It would be really great to get some more behind the scenes if I went that direction. Definitely portraits, since all of their dresses are so bright and detailed. I think accessibility would be more challenging for the Escaramuza work though.

ADM: Following that, most of the photos I've seen of the project so far have been fairly topographic or street leaning, and you mention an interest in doing portraits of the people involved - do you have a feeling of how you'd like to do those portraits, or what form you'd like them to take, in context with the rest of the photos you've shot so far?

DD: The portraits would ideally spur of the moment requests of people at the stock show. I’d have to get over the whole fear of approaching a random stranger first. But I just don’t want to overthink it. Some of Louis Carlos Bernal’s portraits resonate with me (his Barrio work is on my ‘to buy’ list) in regards to context of current photos.

ADM: What do you think the eventual scope of the project will be, and what form do you think it will take, and why? Also will you document other rodeos/stock shows, or is the project strictly focused on the DFW Stock Show/Rodeo?

DD: I know people may have negative feelings about stock shows. My documenting is not about being for or against the showing and selling of animals - I just want to share my experience. At some point, I would like to make a zine or small book of the work. I really don’t know when that will be though. I feel this will be a long term project so that will play into any final piece. I do plan on documenting as many as possible. There is really only two that are near me, so I need to be realistic on how much time I am able to invest into actually going to the stock shows. I would like to including portraits of people involved in the stock shows as well.

ADM: Just for context, for me, a yankee - Are the stock shows a regular event, and sometimes separate from the rodeo? I know Houston's rodeo is annual, but I'm not terribly familiar with the practice, beyond that.

DD: The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is every year in January. There’s one a little north of me that happens in August (I think). I’m guessing most of the other major cities in Texas have one every year. From what I gather, the these big events include the stock show and rodeo. The rodeos are the big event at night, while the stock show happens during the day. There are probably smaller stock shows scattered around that don’t have a rodeo event.

ADM: What were some of the main influences on you for this project, photographic or otherwise?

DD: Tough one here. I think the main influence for this would be just the fact that this culture is so foreign to me and I’m fascinated by what’s all involved.

ADM: I'd love to see the zine or book when it's out - what format do you think it'll take, or what do you think the big sections of the book will look like?

DD: You’ll be the first to know about a zine or book! I’ve never created a book (or really put focus into a project like this), so culling and editing the images to flow well will be new for me. At this stage, I’m seeing the images as more of vignettes of the stock show culture and that’s what it could end up staying.

ADM: For someone in the middle of relocating - either to a completely new environment, or a quasi-familiar one, what advice would you have for documenting that (or an unfamiliar event like you have), and adapting to it?

DD: Embrace the experience. For me, the new environment opened me up to enjoying film again, creating work that I enjoy and work that is for me. Without relocating to Texas, i wouldn’t have been able to start this stock show project. I didn’t expect for other people to be all that interested in the topic, so I am excited to document it, for myself.

ADM: From Adrian Otero Vila: If you could go back in time and stand next to a photographer when they were making an image, which one would it be?

DD: Pulling out the tough questions, Adrian! I’m going to say three photographers. First, Matt Eich’s zebra image from Carry Me Ohio, Edward S. Curtis’ Canyon De Chelly, or Gordon Parks’ Negro Woman in her Bedroom.

ADM: What's one question you have for the next photographer? you can answer it yourself if you'd like?

DD: What’s something you’ve learned in the past year?

As I mentioned above, create work for yourself. When you enjoy making the work for you, it will show through in the work itself. We all want to find our audience, but that will come naturally.

Someone recently shared this quote from Alec Soth‘s Magnum course: ‘We all kind of know pictures that other people like , that our friends like, that would get us likes on Instagram... but what you need to do is make work that doesn’t succeed, that takes you to a new place and eventually that’ll find its audience.

ADM: Where can we see more of your work?

DD: Right now, Instagram @_digitaldust. I’m currently working on culling work and updating my website at http://www.dustindavisphoto.com

"You, A Great River That Never Runs Dry" or "The Stranger" : J. Han

May 17, 2020 in interview

"You, A Great River That Never Runs Dry" or "The Stranger" : J. Han (@all_gods_creatures_have_knives)

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who aren't familiar with you or your work, could you please introduce yourself? and give a brief overview of your work?

James Han (JH): My name is James Han and I live and work in Portland, Oregon. I started making color film photos in 2016 and in 2017 I attended a black and white darkroom class at the now defunct Newspace in Portland, Oregon. Since then I have been hooked. I love making black and white portraits of people, mostly strangers, where ever I go.

ADM: You just put out "You, A Great River That Never Runs Dry" or "The Stranger" which is a set of 5x7 darkroom prints that you've assembled into a book. What inspired you to make a book of your printed work? Is there a central thread that connects the photos contained in it?It seems as though books are the ideal medium for showing photographic bodies of work, rather than a website or Instagram. I enjoy the tactile experience of flipping through a book of photographs rather than scrolling through a website. Though scrolling through Blake Andrews' Tumblr account from beginning to end in one sitting did something to my brain. The central thread that connects the photos in this book is that every person (except one) was a stranger the first time I approached them.

ADM: What challenges did you have assembling your work, and printing it? Did the darkroom process inspire or shape the book heavily?

JH: Assembling the book requires a lot of time and effort; the time and effort it takes to print each page in the darkroom, editing the images and hand binding them together. It is a labor of love. Yes, the darkroom process inspired and shaped the book heavily. The darkroom process allows me to build the book from beginning to end. I do not need to pay a printer to print the books or have to live with a quality of print that leaves me less than satisfied. Some research was done and the quality of printing I was looking for was cost prohibitive or a large quantity of books would need to be ordered to bring the cost per book down. The end result of the darkroom print also shaped this book; once the printing was complete there was an additional edit and 5 photos were cut because the print quality did not match the others. I also enjoy the feeling of holding and flipping through a stack of 5x7 prints more so than copy print paper. The darkroom prints are heavy and thick and it feels like the photos and book have weight and substance.

ADM: The book seems to be made primarily, or entirely of portraits that are fairly intimate - what was your process like for getting your subjects to pose for you, and was there anything specific you had in mind while making the portraits?

JH: The intent at the beginning was an exercise in moving into the fear of people that was imprinted at such an early age. Each time there was movement into the fear and existence within it rather than remaining outside of it, the less power it held over me. It has been a very enjoyable and challenging process; one that has forced me outside of my tiny perception of the world and into a slightly larger one. At the beginning of the process I would approach just about everyone whereas now I am a little more selective as far as who I will approach. There are some triggers, but now there seems to be some energetic attraction that draws me to some folks. Some people are leery of me and the camera but once we get to talking most people will open up and allow me into their space to make a portrait of them. I've been called names and some people have yelled at me as if I had committed some great crime or insult. To this day, I am continually amazed at the fact that people will readily say 'yes' to having their portraits made by a complete stranger. There was nothing specific I had, or have, in mind while making the portraits, I would shoot without much thought or without some goal in mind.

ADM: Did you find or have any particularly big or moving experiences or conversations while finding and working with strangers? If so would you mind sharing?

JH: No, nothing comes to mind. Though one time this person thought I snapped a photo of him and he started yelling at me to delete the photo. I yelled back to him and told him I had not taken a photo of him. He started coming at me from across the street still yelling. Instinctively, I started towards him and in my mind I wondered why am I doing this and what is going to happen next. He then jumped up and bumped his chest against mine. Afterwards, and without thought, my left hand drops down to my side and the next thing I know I’ve got his leg in my hand and he’s hopping on his left leg. I then start to move him so that he is hopping backwards and soon he fell to the ground. I told him I was done. He jumped up and pulled out three or four knives and he threw each one to the ground, one by one and said “let’s fight for fun, no knives.” I responded “no” and walked away. Later on that day my buddy and I circled back around into that part of downtown and I heard “hey come here”. It’s the same guy and I could hear that there was no anger or malice in his tone so I went over and he thanked me. I asked him for what reason. He told me because I had held back and that I could have beaten him up and hurt him. Ever since then we have been friendly towards one another whenever we see each other.

ADM: The book, and by extension, the rest of your feed is in black and white, have you always worked in BNW, and if so is there a reason that you gravitated to BNW? if so how did you get there?

JH: No. When I started shooting photos in 2016 I did not appreciate the beauty of black and white photography and started with color film. In 2017 I attended a black and white darkroom class at the now defunct Newspace in Portland, OR and have been shooting black and white since then. I love the fact that I can roll my own film, expose the film, process the film in the kitchen and make black and white photographs in a darkroom.

ADM: In terms of influence, you mention Blake Andrews - but was there anything or anyone else that you found influential at the time - either as an active or passive influence. You also speak about people being attracted - bruce gilden actually talks about a similar phenomena - can you expound on your experience with that?

JH: Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand, Diane Arbus, Rosalind Fox Solomon, Mary Ellen Mark, Henri Cartier-Bresson (I spent so many hours looking at his portraits), Eugene Richards, Duane Michals and the list goes on. It seems to be a completely instinctual and an unconscious process. It is also a process of letting go of any preconceived ideas and wants and letting it all just happen. Then effort seems to disappears and there is just this doing and the doing leads to meeting people without consciously looking for something or someone specific.

ADM: What advice would you give to, or do you have for someone who might be new to street portraits, or approaching strangers, and attempting to make a portrait of them?

JH: Keep your heart as open as possible.

ADM: From Chris San Nicolas: What non-photographic thing do you find most enriches your photography/life?

JH: Commuting to and from work by foot and mass transit.

ADM: What's one question you have for the next photographer? you can answer your own question if you'd like.

JH: If you practice black and white film photography and use a darkroom to print photos, which photographer's (alive or dead) darkroom would you like to have access to and be able to watch work in their workspace?

ADM: Where can people find more of your work, and purchase either prints or copies of your book from you?

JH: Instagram. Please DM me if there is any interest in purchasing a print or a book.

Coast to Coast: Charlie Thom

May 03, 2020 in interview

Coast to Coast: Charlie Thom

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who may not be familiar with your work, can you please introduce yourself, and give an overview or introduction to your work?

Charlie Thom (CT): I'm Charlie, a 20-year-old film photographer and university student from Sussex, UK. I have a love for old cameras and visiting new places. I like to think my style of shooting is just "photograph whatever comes to mind". I've never seen myself as having a style as such, but every photographer captures their scene in unique ways and I'm no exception. During my gap year in 2019, I tried and travel as many places as I can as cheaply as possible, and it's taken me on some really memorable adventures. I visited a few places, including Chernobyl where I produced the content for my previous zine, The Nuclear Option, and the USA and Canada, where I produced the content for Coast to Coast.

ADM: We're here talking about Coast to Coast today - what's the concept behind the zine, what was the impetus to put it into a book format?

CT: In August 2019 I travelled to North America for 3 weeks visiting 5 coastal cities, my first time alone in a foreign country with a big bag full of snacks, clothes and cameras to keep me company. While I was there, I knew I wanted to have a final product made out of the pictures I took there but wasn't quite sure what form it would take. I find that happens a lot with my zines and books. I go out, focus on the pictures and then worry about presentation and narrative when I get my pictures back. I feel that way, you tend to stress a lot less about all the little details and just enjoy exploring new places.

ADM: What was the image selection process like for Coast to Coast? Did the images create the book, or did you work backwards from your body of photos?

CT: I didn't realise just quite how many pictures I'd taken until I'd got back and stared at the 700+ frames in Lightroom after hours of processing and scanning. I figured it would be a big, big project to make a zine out of, so I was going to wait till the summer to start working on it - that's when the outbreak occurred, and I thought I should finish it now before it got shelved forever. I thinned these pictures down to just over 70 and it had enough pages to be a paperback book, so I went full steam ahead and designed a pdf for a 66 page photobook. My last project, The Nuclear Option, had a text-based narrative that I felt worked really well due to its historical nature and the short time span I took the pictures in. With this one though, there isn't really much to say - I felt if I captioned a whole book just with stories about myself, it wouldn't be about the pictures anymore. The sheer number of pictures also meant I could divide the book into chapters, one for each city I visited. I think this really breaks up the story nicely and gives it a nice narrative without the use of text.

ADM: What was the specific impetus for your trip to North America, what made you choose the destinations you chose; and how does your book tell or document the trip?

CT: There were a few reasons for choosing America as the destination for my travels: I think the sheer scale of everything is something that really drew me in. The massive sprawling cities and eccentric characters really fascinated me. I'd been to the USA a couple of times before with family, but never had a proper chance to explore on my own and go on a proper adventure. The fact that everyone speaks English too is also a huge help. I chose to visit New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and Seattle because they're some of the continent's biggest most interesting coastal cities. If my budget had been a bit bigger, I would love to have visited New Orleans or Portland (while strictly that isn't a coastal city, I guess West Coast still counts), but I was cutting as many corners as I could and had to let them go. Coast to Coast tells the story through chapters. Each chapter is headed with a scan of a Polaroid with a significant landmark in each city, something I already really wanted to do just so I could put them in my print albums. When I got home, I'd realised those Polaroids would be great to break up the book into specific segments and give the project's narrative a bit more structure. I captured everything else that caught my eye on my 1951 Leica iiif on whatever film I could get my hands on - colour and b&w stocks of various brands, expired film, etc. My friend Italo very generously gave me a big bag of assorted film when I met up with him in New York (Thanks Italo!). I shot a lot of street but also landscapes too if my surroundings allowed it. I tried my best to tell stories with each picture, and I feel each chapter really has its own distinctive, unique flavour.

ADM: Following that up, were there any big moments that stood out to you, or "clicked" the book into place when you finally did sit down in front of your scanner?

CT: I learned a lot of things about the United States and its people/culture throughout the whole of this trip. It was very insightful, almost enlightening, to see how different everything is to how it's portrayed on television. To actually see America in person was truly something special, and the people I met along the way were probably the best part of the whole experience. I also learned a lot about myself, how I overcame problems like having my flight home cancelled while I was there, and having to spend 4 hours on a bus through Compton and arriving at LAX airport covered in bleeding bug bites, or missing my Greyhound bus and hitching a free ride on another bus because the driver was a super cool guy. There always seemed to be solutions to the challenges I faced, and I think I got some really good adventures out of some of them. When I got back from the States, I was going to move into my university halls 2 days after I landed, and I don't think I've ever processed and scanned that much film in such a small span of time in my entire life. I also learned how to create a proper scanning and editing workflow, with this amount of film it's near impossible to sort through all the pictures and pick out the best images unless you have a good workflow setup.

ADM: What did you learn, either about your trip, or your photography while editing the book?

ADM: In terms of influence - what would you say your biggest influences on the project were, photographic or otherwise?

CT: Inspiration came from a wide variety of people for this one! I drew influence from a few great zines I have such as Useful Idiocy by Jules Le Moal, Reason for Visit by Nicolas Hagen, Enter Barcelona by Nigel Allison/unevenedits and Zoeld by Illia Popovich, as well as a few others. I also drew inspiration from a few of the classic American photographers of the 20th century: Robert Frank, W. Eugene Smith etc. I also got a lot of advice and second opinions during the production of the book from close friends and fellow photographers, which I'm eternally grateful for!

ADM: I find it a really interesting choice that all of the images are titled, what prompted you to title all your images, and was it difficult to title them?

CT: I've always had a fascination with titles - while I made the choice not to write out all my stories and experiences and focus more on presenting the pictures themselves, I still wanted to give the viewer my own impression of the picture to give it a bit of a personal touch. Another reason I added a black stroke and title on the images was to make the book feel like a miniature gallery. I based most of the captions for the pictures off my Instagram posts, but I changed some of them if they didn't fit the frame well. Presentation to me is one of the biggest parts of producing a zine or book, and I wanted it to feel a bit fancier than my previous works. You'll notice there isn't a single double page spread. While there were pictures I really wanted to print nice and big, I felt it wouldn't be doing them justice if a large portion of the frame was lost to the fold.

ADM: For someone on the fence about making a big, multi stop trip, in a very unfamiliar place - as well as documenting it - what advice would you give?

CT: Don't stress too much! It's not an adventure if you aren't lost. Try not to plan every last detail, just make sure you can get to and from your destination(s), have a place to stay, and have enough money in case anything goes wrong. The best adventures I had on this trip weren't planned, they just happened as I was out exploring the area. It was quite daunting at first when I was planning everything, but once I had everything booked it was really easy from there.

ADM: From Sadie Rose Bailey by way of Sam Lloyd: What other creative outlets do you pursue? And what does it bring you that photography doesn’t?

CT: I really don't have any other creative outlets! I can't draw or play any instruments, my co-ordination is absolutely terrible. I adore photographing bands though. I think being able to photograph a band is the next best thing to being in one. I'm doing a Media Production degree at the moment so I do have some video/audio production experience, and I know my way around photoshop. I also collect records and have a Hi-Fi setup in my bedroom, which has become the saviour of my quarantine lifestyle at the moment.

ADM: What question do you have for the next photographer? You can answer your own question if you'd like.

CT: Do you have any projects planned after this one? Spill the beans! If this lockdown ends before the summer and I can get a decent amount of shifts before the summer, I really want to travel Scandanavia, especially Norway and Finland.

ADM: Where can people see your work, and purchase your zine?

CT: You can find me on Instagram @charliethom_ or on Facebook at @charliethomphoto. My zine is available through my Etsy shop, a link is available through my Instagram bio. You can also search "charliethom" on Etsy and find my shop that way too.

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FLORA: Adrienne Hulme

February 09, 2020 in interview

FLORA: Adrienne Hulme

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): Hi Adrienne! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Could you introduce yourself and describe your photowork?

Adrienne Hulme (AH): Hello, I'm Adrienne, and I live in San Diego now but am originally from Portland, Oregon. I've been taking photos since I was 9 years old, and my purpose in my photography since then has always been to capture the beauty that I see around me. My subject matter is actually rarely people; I usually just take photos of "ordinary" things I see around me, but I like to capture them in a unique way that highlights the beauty in them that others might not notice. I focus a lot on light, textures, angles, and closeups.

ADM: You do a lot with multiple exposures, is that central to the zine? how did you get into doing them?

AH: Yeah so this zine is actually all multiple exposures. It's really the first time that I've made an effort to photograph people; particularly for a personal project. I started wanting to experiment with double exposures when I started getting back into film within the past few years, but since it's film and it's not cheap, I didn't really want to try it if I had no idea how to do it, and waste film. This last year though, I went to The Darkroom Lab's Film Photography Paideia and took a workshop on double exposures with Trev Lee and Aaron Checkwood, and between that and some extra tips from my muse Starla Little, I felt ready to attempt some. Starla is a double exposure queen, and she was also my first model, so she helped me out a ton with the whole process.

ADM: Related to the above -- you shoot a mix of film and digital. Do you find your personal work tends more towards one or the other? If so why.

AH: I definitely shoot mostly film for personal stuff. I started out on film when I was little, but digital cameras were becoming a thing so I switched shortly thereafter, and had been only shooting digital for years. I bought a Mini Diana camera when those were getting popular, but didn't shoot it much because I didn't have a film community in Portland. I bought a Minolta srt-100 at a studio sale a photographer had here in San Diego, still didn't shoot it much for a year, then found Beers and Cameras, got involved with that, and got back into film. I was still shooting a ton of digital all the time, but shooting more film has made me take more time with my shots and slow down a bunch, so I don't shoot as much as I did before. I'm a lot more intentional when I take photos now, so I don't need to take a ton of digital photos of everything, and I prefer the look of film (and not having to edit photos), so if I see something that I want to capture and it's important to me, I shoot it on film. Also all of my personal projects are on film. It's just more beautiful to me.

ADM: Do you have a typical shooting pattern? what does a typical shoot day look like for you?

AH: Not really. Most of the time I'm just shooting what I see. For my actual shoots with people, like the double exposures in the zine, I plan out how I want it to look in advance, and communicate my vision to the model so they can prepare, but on the day of I pretty much go with the flow. My first double exposure shoot I did actually have terrible anxiety because it was my first time shooting a model in studio as well as my first time doing double exposures, so I pretty much had anxiety dreams about every possible thing going wrong for the shoot the night before, culminating in the entire world being engulfed in flames. So then of course I was super nervous up until the shoot, so I was really grateful the model was Starla who is great at posing but also could give me tips about the shooting. After that though it's been great! I just have my generic idea of what it's going to look like but then just see where it goes. Everything just falls into place.

ADM: What drove you to do a zine comprised specifically or focused on Multiple exposures - or what was the inspiration or the thought behind combing models with overlay (underlay?) of flowers?

AH: I've always been obsessed with flowers, they're one of my favorite things in the world. My inspiration for my double exposures was Starla's double exposures of models with flowers. She also has some amazing double exposures with things other than flowers, but I mostly stuck to flowers and plants since they're my favorite. I did try one or two other things on my rolls, but they didn't turn out well. Flowers lend themselves quite nicely to double exposures, especially with models. They give a feeling of fairies or nymphs or something, which are also my favorite. As far as focusing the zine on them - it's really my first cohesive body of work. I actually had no plans to do a zine for a while, because it's not really my thing, but also because I had no idea what to put in it. To me zines have to have a theme, and I didn't have anything I felt like I could compile into a zine. I have received a ton of positive feedback on the double exposures though, so I finally decided this was something worthy of a zine.

ADM: What was your process like, putting the exposures together? did you plan out which model/setting would go with which flower?

AH: I actually did very little planning. I'm thinking in the future I should do one where I write down what each shot was so that I can carefully plan them out, but on these I just had a general idea of what I had done on the first exposure. On 3 out of 4 of the rolls, I shot the models first, and since I would shoot in a certain spot, then move to something else, I had an idea of how I did that when I shot the flowers. On the other one where I shot the flowers first, most of the shots were random, but then I did some with a black background at the end, so I had that in mind when shooting the model on that one. I also exposed a certain way when shooting the models so that the flowers would show up a certain way. I'm also aware that I usually center a main flower in the middle, as well as the model's face or whole body, so they usually line up. Not everything turned out great, but most of it turned out pretty well. It ends up being a big surprise and pretty exciting when I finally get to see them, and some of them turn out way better than expected, and it's kind of like Christmas, haha.

ADM: Do you have more projects like this on the way, or are you more focused on daily shooting at this point?

AH: I have another roll of double exposures I'm working on that will be different, because it's portraits, all different people (which is why it's taking me forever), black and white, and silhouettes. I'm really excited for that one, but I have to hurry up and finish it! I definitely want to do more experimenting with similar stuff, but I need to think of some new ideas. I've been doing a bit more casual shooting otherwise right now, because I've had a lot of other stuff going on.

ADM: What was the layout process like for your zine? How did you decide to sequence your images in the manner you did?

AH: I selected my favorite images that I wanted to use in the zine first, which was more than what I needed. I had my MOST favorite images that I definitely wanted to include, and then some that I liked that weren't as important to fit in there if I ran out of room. Since most of them were portrait orientation, I wanted to have each pair that you would see together to go together in some way, so some didn't make it because they didn't have a good match. Two that are favorites went on the front and back. The actual order wasn't as important to me though, I basically just started picking out pairs and putting them in. I did try to mix it up as far as the models and how the images look, as well as throw in a couple landscape oriented shots.

ADM: You mention a strong love of flowers and fairies, as well as Starla Little's double exposures as influences -- what are your other influences in photography, or art, and were there any specific influences artistic or otherwise for this project?

AH: I've actually never really tried to draw inspiration from other artists or photographers. I have favorite artists and photographers, but I've never tried to say "I admire this person's style, and I'd like mine to be like theirs." I obviously can't isolate myself from seeing things and retaining that when I'm making my own art, but I try to come up with my own ideas and style. Everything I've seen in my life is a general influence, but I don't reference anything specifically when I create things.

ADM: That's interesting that you were reluctant to do a zine - you mention getting praise on double exposures -- out of curiosity why weren't zines your thing? Outside of praise on the double exposures was there anything else that pushed you over the edge to go make this zine?

AH: I always want photos to look their best, and by nature, zines are not really great quality. I'd rather see and make larger prints on nice photo paper or canvas or metal or something that makes them look amazing. The reason I chose to do it is that the community of photographers I'm in is really into zines, and several people in the group have already made some, so it's kinda a thing that everyone in the group aspires to. So I knew that they would all be supportive if I did one, I just didn't know what to put in one before I did the double exposures.

ADM: For those who haven't worked with a model before, but are curious about that process, can you give any tips or advice?

AH: Two of mine were pretty informal because they were friends, and then one was a professional model that I've been following on instagram because another film photographer I follow shot with her, and I love her look. She had posted that she was doing a reduced rate for a month, so I just responded to her story! She was pretty easy to work with too, so I still have no idea how it works normally, ha. I do have a model release that I use for stock photos, which I got off Adobe, and I had her sign that, but you don't need them usually to print photos. I still think it's nice to have a model release for professionals so that your bases are covered. Definitely communicate with them before the shoot what look you're going for (unless you are providing wardrobe and makeup), and if you want to do nudes, that's another important thing you'll have to discuss first. I don't really have any other tips, because mine were all super easy to work with! Definitely don't underestimate their worth though, because having a model that knows how to pose themselves will make your life so much easier!

ADM: Where can people go buy your zine, and see more of your work? I know the zine was on kickstarter - do you, or will you have extra copies available for purchase?

AH: I will have extras, I will probably be putting some up on my Etsy, which is at https://www.etsy.com/shop/LysBleuDesigns or here at: https://lys-bleu-designs.square.site/product/flora/1.

Most of my current work is on my instagram, https://www.instagram.com/bluelily52

Turn And Face the Strange: Will Hopkins in conversation with Andrew D. McClees

September 02, 2019 in interview

**William Hopkins in Conversation with Andrew D. McClees, about Turn and Face the Strange:**

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): Hi Will we’re here to talk about your upcoming zine project, Turn and Face the Strange. Before we get into it, can you tell me about yourself and your background?

William Hopkins (WH): Thanks Andrew! First I want to say thank you for interviewing me, and for your work with the community. Frozenwaste.land is doing really great work with and for film photographers.

I currently live and work in southeast Michigan. I relocated here after living my entire life in the greater Philadelphia area, and it was time for a change. By training and trade I’m an analyst and developer in the tech industry, but by vocation I’m an artist and photographer. It’s how I interpret the world around me and I try to share that perspective with others through the visual arts.

I was interested in photography as an art form starting in college, where I took photos with a Panasonic Lumix point-and-shoot my parents gave me, but it wasn’t until more recently in 2014 that I started learning real photographic principles with my first DSLR. In the interim, I started shooting film with a Kodak Tele-Instamatic 608 (a 110 format camera).

ADM: Can you explain the title of the Zine, and give me a one sentence description of what the zine is about?

WH: I’ve been a big David Bowie fan ever since I first raided my dad’s record collection, so when I was thinking of titles for the zine Bowie came to mind. I couldn’t resist.

Turn and Face the Strange is a zine of 110 format photos, shot over a period of several years in Philadelphia, Yosemite, and Ann Arbor, for no particular reason [at the time] but that in hindsight represent my process of meaning-making.

ADM: Now that I have the basic concept/logline, can you talk about what the inspiration was for you to shoot the zine in a little more detail?

WH: When I started taking these photos, I had no intention of collecting them in a coherent fashion. I didn’t really even know that you could.

I just took the photos because I liked photography and wanted to convey something that I was feeling to whomever might view them. I was going through a period of transition in my life, graduating from undergrad, getting my first job, and moving away from my hometown. I wanted to record fragments of that process, for myself as a diary if for no other purpose.

Over the last year, I’ve really gone headlong into film and been inspired by all the zines I’ve collected (special shout-out to the All Through A Lens and Forte400 zines). I wanted to make something of my own without being precious about it, in the grand tradition of Xeroxed zines and punk aesthetics, so the somewhat grungy quality of 110 film jumped out at me right away.

Shooting the photos for the zine wasn’t really an intentional project, but the actual process of assembling the zine absolutely has been. I’ve learned a lot from it about how I want to express myself. Nick Mayo (@nickexposed) in particular did a great video series on creating a zine, and his example of the creative process (put on some jazz and lay out prints) really informed my own. In the end, my guiding phrase was “finding a sense of place through my photos”, and I wanted to give viewers a sense of the physical and spiritual places I’d been to in my photos.

ADM: What do you think the core features of your Photography are that relate to or help accomplished your goal of “finding a sense of place.” Or to you, what were the defining features or feelings that led you to choose the photos you chose for the zine?

Also how did you get turned onto 110 photography? That’s a pretty niche format, even for most film shooters.

WH: Great questions! I hadn’t really framed it in this way for myself before. I’ve noticed that I often shoot abstract photos that, by themselves or in the moment, don’t make sense to those around me. My friends and family are used to me stopping to photograph “the light” or some ephemera of the scene. I think photographers reading this will know exactly what I mean.

To me, those photographs (and moments) are driven by a desire to capture a sense of place. A place is, to me, the feelings and memories connected to it as much as it is the physical location. So in my photography, I try to freeze a slice, however small, of what I’m feeling or experiencing in a given place.

As I’ve tried out other formats and cameras (I’m currently smitten with a Yashica Mat 124) I’ve kept very much the same approach.

Whatever the equipment, there’s a here-and-now-ness that I want to capture on film.

As for how I got into 110, mostly by happenstance! The Tele-Instamatic 608 was one of the two cameras given to me by my family when I asked for film cameras they had lying around. I’d heard film was cheaper than digital, and I was hoping for some gems. Between my grandpa’s Yashica Electro-35 GSN and the Tele-Instamatic 608, I’d say I did okay! The oddity of 110 film really drew me in, and I’ve been shooting it ever since.

ADM: I know a lot of film purists tend to reject the notion of editing, etc. Do you edit much of your photos? Is there a specific color palate you tend to shoot for?

WH: To be honest, I really hate editing on a computer. It drives me absolutely up the wall. I work with computers and am an ex-IT person, but for some reason computer-based photo editing is not my jam. So I don’t edit my photos, but I’m not opposed to it in theory.

Until recently, I sent all my film out to be developed (and I still send my 110 film out). I’ve used The Darkroom and Fulltone Photo (where I still send my color film) and let them do some basic retouching in the scans.

In an ideal world, I’d like to start printing my work directly in the darkroom and use old-school editing techniques in the process. I have a great local-ish darkroom called Darkroom Detroit, where I’ve learned both processing and printing basics, but it can be a bit of a hike so I don’t get there as often as I’d like.

ADM: On sequencing, beyond taking inspiration in process from Nick Mayo, how did you sequence your photos, or what drove you to sequence things in the manner you did?

WH: I printed out all of the photos I thought I might want to use in the zine. I just used a handy office inkjet printer, nothing fancy. I already had an idea of the order I wanted, so I started by putting them into that order but I quickly learned that

Some photos really didn’t fit, and
The order in my head didn’t match the visual experience.

I used a blue and red double-ended correction pencil to make notes on all the photos as I went, suggesting page numbers and blank spaces. I generally kept them clipped together with a binder clip - spreading them out on the floor or a table just didn’t work for me.

At the end of the process, I shared a slide deck of the photos, in order, with some trusted confidants to give me their feedback. At this point, I’m happy with the layout and ordering, but need to actually try printing out a test run!

ADM: That sounds really great! Where can the readers pick up a copy of the zine? Also I’m not usually one to get into tech details, but what film did you use? And where did you get it?

Is there anything you’d like to add about the zine?

WH: I used Lomography Color Tiger film, some of the only 110 film left. The Film Photography Project also has some 110 options now, and I’ve stocked up for the next iteration of the project.

Readers can pick up a copy of the zine on my Etsy shop!

ADM: Thanks for talking about the zine!