Lately, I have been on a kick of trying to come to terms with my early work as a photographer. I’m sure this is something that we’ve all experienced, at least to some degree, as months turn into years in our journeys with our cameras.
When I look at some of my photos from, say…2009? Well, let’s just say it can often feel like looking at a photo of myself from high school – totally embarrassing! I find myself saying, “What, exactly, was I thinking? What in the world possessed me to add a purple (PURPLE!!!) vignette!?”
However, all of my work represents where I was, and where I am going. And, at one point in time, it was the best work I had ever made.
It is easy to dismiss it as embarrassing and outdated, but a lot of it is very important in my evolution as a photographer. So, for that reason, I am owning all of my work – purple vignettes and all.
Something I have found useful lately is to revisit my old work, and to either re-edit the images, or to re-shoot them.
I have been using the Impossible Lab to print my 2009-2010 photos on instant film.
Let me just say this: if you can get your hands on an Impossible Lab, do so as quickly as possible! It gives you the ability to print images from your iPhone (4 and later) onto a range of Impossible Film.
One of the qualities of instant film that I love is how, maybe due to the size and colors/low contrast, it really showcases what is in the image. Not having “real life” color and contrast somehow boils the image down to content – subject, light, form. I often find that I will look at an image on instant film for longer than I will look at a film or digital image, because I read the image, rather than breezing past it.
This exercise has totally changed the way I look at some of my work. The translation from digital to instant film alone is enough to completely change the feel and look of so many of my images.
I am not saying that one (the digital versus the instant film) is necessarily better than the other, but it is a way to look at an image with new eyes.
Have you ever reinvented some of your older work? If so, how did you go about it?
Oh wow, these are gorgeous, Anna! The Instant Lab is one of the biggest reasons why I envy the iPhone users; I’m really hoping for an Android version some day 🙂
Anna, Your reinvention is lovely!
I can relate. I look back at early work I made and think oh, what was I thinking. Yet, I’ve also come to appreciate each stage of development and more recently, I’m able to critique my own work because of it. I honestly haven’t returned to old work to reinvent it. I’m more likely to pick up an old theme and create a new body of work. Loved this thought provoking post.
Brilliant! Just brilliant! I can hardly bear to look at my earlier images and I’m sure I’ll think the same of the ones I take now in a few years time too.
Beautiful! Are you referring to the Impossible Project app for iPhone when you mention the Impossible Lab?
Well, the app is required to make the exposure on the instant film. The long and short of it is that you place your iPhone on the Impossible Project Lab, and then the app makes an exposure onto Impossible film through the lab hardware. Hope this helps!
Anna, this is just wonderful and inspiring. I’m in that stage of “what am I doing? where am I going?” and I’ve been experimenting heavily trying to find myself and my style. (I just recently deleted hundreds of photos off of Flickr for that same reason! I had a moment of “Omg, I can’t let people see THAT!” even though I do enjoy seeing how far I’ve come.) Thank you for the inspiration!
I still look at your older photos and I still find them to be extraordinary!!! Having said that, I am fascinated by this way of reinventing them and reserving them!!! Makes me want to run out and get a lab!!! I may not be able to do that right away but i do think I would like to see what I can do with my oh-so-snapshot try beginnings!!!! I am always thrilled by watching you grow and forge new paths and make very old processes all yours!!! Bravo!!! xxxooo
I made the comment on my iPhone and it got scrambled!!!!! I’ll be back!!!!!
That is some really beautiful work. Makes me wish I had a spare $300 lying around for Impossible Instant Photo Lab.
Impossible has reduced the price of the lab to $199 USD.
This is a fantastic way to revisit older work and one that never occurred to me. Thank you for making these images and posting them. I especially love the mood of the first one and how it seems like the person is seeking something, yet quite calm.