As we start Sustainable Prospects, I am excited to take a new approach to my work in both method and presentation.
At the end of Surfaces and Strategies, I felt that my work was not where I wanted it, and I was feeling a lack of inspiration. Overall, I think the work I produced was fine but lacking in depth and style; in part because I was not shooting or approaching the project how I truly wanted to which lead me to overlook a lot of details.
During our time off I took the time to rethink my approach and asked myself what I ultimately want from this project.
Do I want to be looking beyond digital photography? What are the pros and cons of doing that?
Yes. I think working with film, both 35mm and 120, will not only allow me to obtain the image style and quality I want, but it will encourage me to slow down and think more intentionally about my shortlist. It will also help me in how I approach my subjects by giving me more ways outside of the camera and computer to experiment and create which I very much need.
How do I incorporate a more physical aspect into my work?
By using film it will allow me to more tangibly interact with my work. Producing physical prints and experimenting with different ways of printing and utilizing a sketchbook will help me explore and play around with ideas to create a clearer narrative, improve my photo selection process, and give me a better sense of what I want to be shooting. In the end, all of this will help me better understand how my project will best be presented and consumed by an audience.
How many locations do I want to shoot? Will focusing on fewer (one or two) allow me to build better relationships in these chosen communities?
So far I've explored five different locations and after reflecting on this question I feel my project would be best served by narrowing my focus to three locations where I have begun to build deeper relationships to better tell the story I'd like to bring to life with this project.
I'll continue my work largely in Colorado. First, Jamestown - a small mining town established in the late 1800s with a neighborly vibe and a community mercantile where the town gathers. Second, Alpenglow Cohousing in Ridgeway - a more modern high desert community that is dedicated to the commitment of sustainable and intentional living.
I also plan to return to Arcosanti. The roll of film I shot while there last turned out better than I'd expected. However, it was not in line with the current aesthetic of my project so I chose to exclude these shots from my WIP. Seeing these helped me realize the intention and thought I want to be putting into all my work, and this reflection has helped me understand where and how I'd like to push myself and this project.
Over the break, I was able to get out a few times with this new approach in mind and I have been very pleased with the results. For these shoots, I focused on landscapes that have been changed or altered by people in some way.
I then developed (and scanned) my film at home by hand, which provided some interesting results. One of which being my tanks were not completely clean resulting in some bubble marks on the negatives, not something I would want moving forward, but I am not disappointed it happened.
Overall, I’m happy with how these photos have turned out and am excited to move forward and explore this approach. This time and experimentation has given me fresh inspiration and confidence in pushing my project forward into a new phase.
