Hi Everyone,
Well, we're officially in the thick of summer, and yes, July is typically the hottest month of the year in many places. Whether you're out and about enjoying nature, activities, and vacations, or maybe some of you are stuck in the office, mentally checked out, I can relate. I'm currently traveling myself, blending a bit of leisure with some "work."
And you know what that means? More behind-the-scenes posts for you all!
So, I recently wrapped up a shoot that was straightforward to photograph on the day, but the prep work leading up to it took about a week and a half to get just right. Including the shoot day, the entire concept required around two weeks of work. It’s not like you're engaged 24/7 working on it, but over that time, you’re fully immersed: thinking, tweaking, correcting, and repeating the process.
That project is now in the final stages of post-production, which means I have the mental space to switch gears and begin planning what’s next on the calendar.
I have two upcoming projects on the horizon, and it would be ideal to complete them roughly within the same week. This means preparing everything carefully now to allow enough time for idea development and testing before the final execution.
One project will be in color, and the other in black and white, but with a twist. Later this week, the focus will be on developing black and white test shots to refine the concept for that particular project. These are not just test shoots; they involve experimenting with different development times, exposures, and other variables. Each piece of film is exposed and developed separately with varying times and settings. For example, if 10 specific photos are taken, each will be exposed differently and developed individually to achieve the desired effect.
This meticulous process begins with capturing the initial ideas with the camera, which then go through detailed testing in the darkroom. Handling the development process personally for this kind of stuff is crucial because it's challenging to provide such dialed-in instructions to commercial photo labs. This preparation ensures that on the actual day of the photoshoot, everything is set to achieve the desired look with confidence.
Balancing technical precision with creativity is key. Technical steps enhance the creative part, allowing the vision in mind to be recreated in the physical world. True creativity is achieved by harmonizing both technical and artistic elements, bringing the envisioned concept to life. That's the goal, but in reality, it's easier said than done. Sometimes you have to fabricate a product for what you need (which I did on the project currently in post-production), while other times, you have to do tons of revisions during the sketch/brainstorming phase. I personally enjoy these stages though because it's a challenge to push yourself. This should give you some exclusive insight into what goes into a lot of the intricate work and concepts, whether they appear simple or complex.
The color concept is still being developed. I have some ideas floating around, but they still need maturing and development before moving to the next stage. However, I do know I will shoot that with Portra 160 4x5, and I still need to find and reach out to a couple of models for a specific look that is needed to get the job done. I'll get started on that once I finish the chemistry parts for the B&W.
Pictured above, you'll see the developer I'll use, which is Kodak D76, with various chemical bottles. Below that, you see the newly arrived fresh film that I'll be using over the next few weeks: Ilford FP4 and Portra in large format, and Rollei Infrared in large format and 120 for running some trial runs of the concept.
As always, starting new projects are filled with both challenges and excitement. Hopefully, this gives you a better understanding of the intricate process behind each shoot. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights and feel free to share your thoughts or ask any questions. Enjoy your summer and keep creating!
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