Finding my Inner Bartram

Slow photography. It was a phrase that I hadn’t really considered until Andrew Bartram found here and podcast host talked about on BlueSky.

Side note: the film photographery community that used to be on the bird have mostly moved to BlueSky which offers all the same features AND the ability to better curate your feed. Goodbye politics hello almost exclusively film photography community!

Andrew’s post got me thinking. Why do I participate in film photography when digital is so much faster with more instant results? It’s not just the aesthetic choice.

I originally wrote this post a month or so ago, whenever Andrew’s BlueSky post first came out. I guess I’m into slow writing too. Or maybe I’m just slow?

Slow photography.

I still suffer from impatience. I naturally want to run and do everything, try everything now now now.

Slowing down helps me be more considered in my approach. It’s not just taking the images. It’s the whole process. I often don’t develop a roll for weeks, months, sometimes years after the image was captured. This affords me the emotional distance required to critically analyse the image. As per my previous posts, I’m trying to make more contact sheets which also allows me to slowly digest which images I’d like to print. Then after I have picked an image or two, THATS when I go into the darkroom again and start printing.

The way I found this works for me is by having almost a production line. When starting a printing session, I first print a contact sheet from a new roll or a roll that I’m not going to print that session. Then I work on a print from the previous session’s contact sheet. At least that’s the theory. It doesn’t always work out like that, and my impatience often wins out where I’ll print a contact sheet and before it’s dry, choose a frame. Over time though I’ve realised that those images often don’t stand up. I’ve been happiest with the images I’ve printing long after the initial event and long after the developing and contact sheet.

Next, I just need to find the patience to spot my prints!