A journey thru photography, and an ever-changing life.

The Tang in his natural state - photo cred @ameliabartlett - iPhone

Living tiny requires keeping only possessions that spark joy, before impending mass-clutter appears. Ok, so maybe everyone can’t relate with that statement, but just trust me. But, what happens when your relationship with an item, sport, subject, hobby changes? I mean that’s relatable right? We experience the symptoms in forms of writers block, or like me, not picking up a camera for (too many) years. What would you do? Get rid of all your running shoes because you were tired; avoid the notebook/keyboard because you’re exhausted of a subject (or don’t believe what you’re writing); or, again, like me - sell all your camera gear because it was just unnecessary clutter?...

We grow, we change, the ‘things’ we love (and love to do) change. Nothing wrong with it, just is. Nevertheless, for me it was such a dilemma, however, hindsight I wouldn’t change a thing.

Last year was the end of my photograph-producing hiatus, when my crave to create reached the limit. @ameliabatlett and I stumbled upon a camera swap at our local community darkroom, where the shimmer of an extremely clean, vintage Mamiya C330 catches my attention.

Mamiya C330 taken with iPhone

It quickly occurs to me that I had longed for the hand-on, mechanical, and chemical processes of what-I’m-going-to-call a dying artform of film photography. Digital photography just does not have the same appeal anymore. It lacks a certain...grit?

photo cred @ameliabartlett - Sony A6300

During my high school and college years I studies photographers whom I thought were the some of the most historically significant: Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Kevin Carter... and why. Whether they were innovating B&W processes, and/or producing shocking/cutlture-shifting/art-defining images; I wanted to know how and why. I became obsessed. Hence my love for the smogasburg of the styles these photographers offer, and others like them produce. They guided me thru developing my own prefrences and style - which imo change constantly.

Photo cred Henri Cartier-Bresson find more here

Currently, I'm using two main film cameras: Canon AE-1 & the Mamiya C330 f (mentioned above). My first camera was a Pentax K1000 35mm, so needless to say I feel right at home using this Canon. This has recently been used with strickly a 50mm 1.8. It Even has a program function (I pity a fool who uses, lol). And While the C330 doesn’t have the sexiness of the Rolliflex or the Hasselblad it does have some exceptional functionality (did I mention weight & ergonomics of a brick?). The ability to use interchangeable lenses on a TLR is the first thing that comes to mind. And the lenses, it should be mentioned, are largely excellent. All joking aside - I love this camera.

I have always gravittated twards a documentary stye (Henri Cartier-Bresson: Moment capturing-eske), however my 'preferences/subjects' have become diluted. I shoot EVERYTHING. My goal is to expand my film knowledge to a plethora of different stocks & processes. Nine times out of ten, I'll attempt to bring the Mamiya out... there’s something really special about actually producing those nostalgic square photos we’ve all learned to love to so much coughinstagramcough.

---

Beginning to shoot again ignited a flame, excitement that had been lost.

What it’s like to begin shooting again
What interests you.
What stories you want to tell or what artwork you are compelled to create.
As with any you could mention your concerns about the art getting stale, or expensive, or that not many will understand it.
You could also speak your hopes for how you’ll grow as an artist both sharing your photographs and the written stories + experiences.

I once thought my photography path had forked and ended, but I am merely perched at the cliff of a new adventure.