Finding Beauty

A friend asked me recently what draws me to the older alternative photographic processes such as platinum printing and wet plate collodion. After thinking about it for a bit, I realized there were two main reasons I could give him. The first is that I am drawn to the aesthetics of the photography made in the first half of the twentieth century. There’s something romantic about the composition and the feeling of these old images that resonates with me. The alternative processes give my modern images a vintage look and make them sort of timeless, removing the

Portrait of Bea

distraction of a particular period and setting. This leaves the viewer more room to personalize and interpret the images and, I hope, makes them more accessible and pleasing.

The second reason I am drawn to the older processes is that I like to make things with my hands. It’s important to me to be involved in as much of the process of making my photographs as possible, not only because this makes them more personal, but also because I enjoy the craftsmanship involved. This is not driven by a hope to make them perfect. By virtue of being hand made, each print includes its own small imperfections that make the image unique. I feel this allows the viewer to feel my presence; it is somehow proof that the artist is an integral part of the work and not separate from it.

Thinking about this reminds me how important it is to reflect on our work and to focus on what it is about the work that makes it enjoyable and rewarding.