My first real photographing started when I decided to study it and that was when I turned 18. The why-study-it-before-ever-having-handled-a-camera-seriously makes for too long a story to include here but that’s where it all began almost 9 years ago.
It also never ended. Since then I followed three studies, worked on 35mm black-and-white, some slide, some digital, later on growing to mid-and eventually large format and when finishing the last study I came in contact with wet plate photography via Youtube and fell in love by a short film of Quinn Jacobson showing the process. This process dating back from 1851 really got me excited and from that point on I knew what I wanted to do as soon as I finished school.
I started gathering information, contacted Quinn who helped me setting up and within half a year had all the necessities put together to start out. The workshop I attended was the final push to feel absolute confident enough for trying it at home. Now I am hooked.
Eventually, well…pretty soon really, the safe havens from my studio at home got a bit boring and I started traveling around with my bike and cart with mobile darkroom to take photographs of landscapes surrounding and fascinating me. Besides this obvious special aesthetic feel to the plates the cumbersome nature of the process has drawn me towards it. In a world of digital hastiness this feels like the perfect kick in the butt it needs. I can use it to emphasize my horror towards today’s superficialness as it’s so the opposite with showing all the flaws. It’s the flaws that make for perfect.
I hope to be giving workshops and demos in this process, preferably all around the world and to discover and learn more of these alternative photographic processes. It’s the extra dimension it brings in expressing my moods in a photo that does it for me. I do not want to become a full-time commercial photographer; the thought of losing the passion and drive to pick up my camera sounds like utter horror to me. If, one day, I could make a living by selling the work I make I’d even be more lucky than I already am!
Among my Influences:
Sally Mann – for her wonderful child series and wet plates, Cindy Sherman – for her inspiring borderlinish conceptual work. How cliché it may sound, Ansel Adams – for his technical perfection, Max Richter – for his music that brings me in this indispensable mood.
Links:
My Website: www.contrastique.com
My Blog: contrastique.wordpress.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/MsContrastique
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