Exploring Black & White Film Photography

By AccessArt Young Artist Alexander Mitchell,
Facilitated by Paula Briggs

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

AccessArt Young Artist Alexander Mitchell (aged 17) shares his exploration and love of black and white film photography. The images in this post, and in this short film below in which Alexander talks us through his process, were taken at the launch of the #BeACreativeProducer project.

“Working with Alexander to create this post, and as someone who was at the launch night, I am struck by one phrase when I look at these photographs, and that is “outward-looking”. Alexander has captured with such an eye, so many amazing “moments” of the night, and in every image I see Alexander’s ability to look “outward” to let him truly see. I can feel that he has taken time to “see” each and every image (and remember there is no digital camera to delete and try again – film is finite).

This sense of looking-outward contrasts hugely with the sense of “introspection” with which so many digital images are taken. The moment the front facing camera gave us the selfie, we turned the camera on ourselves and began to look inwards. And then our brain quickly became so wired to look inwards, that even when we are presented with images of other people we still somehow refer them back to ourselves (“they’re having a better holiday, they have a perfect family, they are better looking…”).

Alexander’s exploration of film photography using a camera NOT designed to take a selfie reminds us we can (and perhaps used to) take time to look outwards and learn to really “see”.

Thank you so much for taking the photographs and sharing your process Alexander.

See also Project 13 in which Young Artist Rowan creates portraits in contrast to the “filtered, selfie culture” ” Paula Briggs, AccessArt


Gallery: #BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Cambridge Junction, February 2019

Taking Time Out Before the Guests Arrive

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

Presenting

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

The Screening

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

“Mingling”

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

Starting to Relax

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

#BeACreativeProducer Launch Night, Photograph by Mitch

 


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