There was recently a question posed by Andy Adams on Flak Photo Network on Facebook asking why we had chosen photography as our medium of expression. I hadn't really thought of my reason to be honest so I made a simple reply. I said "I love it's stillness. I love how you can look at a single moment forever". Not particularly profound but very true when revealing my love of the photograph and photography. I am often asked what I will do when my children are grown up and I have no-one to photograph. My answer is I have no idea. My work tends to evolve. I don't have a plan as such. I find something I love and go with the flow .. I don't have an agenda.
This summer I have been working with children (other than my own) and the wet plate collodion process. It has been wonderful. I am fascinated by childhood. I know people say it is the best years of your life, I would have to disagree. Of course it can be wonderful, magical and I believe as children we lack the inhibitions that are drilled into us as we enter adulthood. However, I feel childhood can be challenging, at times sad and often frustrating. As kids we are often told what to do, how to do it and how to behave and we are organised relentlessly .. I am not saying this is a bad thing just a fact of life I suppose.
So when I made these portraits I really wanted the children to tell me what they wanted. I wanted them to use their imaginations and I wanted to share the magic of the wet plate process. I couldn't have asked for better children, they were amazing. They all had ideas of what they wanted and they all wanted to be a part of this project. I loved their enthusiasm and their interest.
What I loved most about doing this was that it took time and no-one minded. They never once complained about the framing up (the amount of time it took), or the fact that I was in & out of a darkroom .. they would joke, here comes the purple hand (that's my rubber gloves) as I unzipped the tent. I also loved the stillness of these portraits .. a few moments in time, with each children holding still and engaging only with camera and the moment they were in .. it really was beautiful and I suppose the reason why I love photography and being a photographer.
What will you do when your children grow up? Reminds me of how often children are asked what they want to be when they grow up? Who wants to grow up, anyway? or grow old?
ReplyDeleteone of the many reasons that i was and am drawn to your photographs is because they pose many questions to me AND remain simply beautiful. i love that you have a finished product rather than a file. i love that you freeze the moments and have a desire to preserve them, still time, and yes, even distill it to examine its complexities.
i don't imagine anyone who has ever photographed his or her parents is ever asked, "what will you photograph when your mother/father/grandmother dies?"
we photograph as we live. it is good to enjoy those precious moments, and i thank you for sharing yours with us.
A great series of images Deb. Looking forward to seeing you very soon.
ReplyDeleteVery emotional portraits of people.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work Deborah.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Honey for your lovely, thoughtful comment. I think you make such a great point about anyone who may photograph their parents. I wonder if we worry too much about our next project when we should be enjoying what we are doing? And boy, am I enjoying what I am doing .. I feel so lucky :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Carl, really looking forward to seeing you all too :)
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for stopping by Dzo, I really appreciate it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob, it's lovely to hear from you :)
ReplyDelete- "I love it's stillness. I love how you can look at a single moment forever".
ReplyDeleteTrue words! I flirted with digital video for a bit and still use it to record some of my daughter's performances but I still stick with still photography for your stated reason.
Lovely set of portraits.