Reliefs 2017/18
scanned prints from 4x5 negatives
Being part of London Creative Network has enabled me to learn operating a large format camera, specifically for my work ‘Reliefs’, photographs of chimney breasts revealed on London's facades.
Rather than seeing them as a straight forward document of an architectural feature, I see them as sculptural reliefs.
At Photofusion I received a bespoke tuition tailored to my project. During the programme, I learnt how to use the camera and how to develop and scan the negatives. The final stage was about printing the 4x5 negatives.
Rushmure Rd E5 2017/18
scanned print from 4x5 negative
Mission Grove I E17 2017/18
scanned print from 4x5 negative
Working with a large format camera helps me to slow down. It is an antidote to the current trend, where taking photos has become accessible to almost everyone.
I compare working with the large format to photographic mindfulness. It forces me to think, contemplate and focus, physically engage with the subject. It draws me in. I get absorbed, physically and emotionally invested in the process of making. It strengthens the conviction of my intention and the relevance of what I shoot. Each photograph takes about half an hour to set up, and it reinforces my commitment to the subject.
Although the method is laborious, costly and lengthy, ultimately it is highly rewarding: The charm of the alchemic printing process keeps me in suspense as the image resurfaces. It is impossible to reproduce the finely-grained film texture and all the details in a digital format.
London Creative Network