The making of.
Look at all those beautiful negatives! Going through all of these was one of the greatest feelings. Analog makes me re-live moments and be surprised by photos I forgot I took. When it came to the editing I surprisingly wanted to do very little to them. To me, editing photos is part of the process and I’ve often found myself straying far from what the original photo looks like in terms of colors and tones. I think that if the presets are there for our use then why not make something new even if it will be otherworldly. But for these there was much more meaning in the experience itself. I also wanted to keep certain aspects that were a representation of my process of making a book. Like the fact that my negative scanner was not the best quality therefore skin tones weren’t as true as they could be. Or the imperfections brought on by my cheap 35mm camera or lens. All of that is what would makes this my first photo book.
Once I had completed the book. Things still felt unfinished. I wanted something that came with it. Something that made receiving the book much more exciting, thus the production of the sleeve and collage postcards. I wasn’t initially too sure what the sleeve was going to look like. I went ahead and made the postcards and decided I would come back to it.
I out-sourced my postcards and when I ordered them they came in a box cover similar to the one on my book today. I wanted something just like that and I was actually willing to make a bulk purchase of these covers if any company made them. However, I couldn’t find them anywhere. My researching patience ran out and I moved on to making a plan to make them myself. Fifty covers later and believe it or not I never regret making that decision. Something that came with making these by hand was the inevitable difference each one would have. Crooked lines, asymmetrical flaps, it was all part of the process. Perhaps later on I will have more experience for better covers or sleeves but for now, what you see is what you get.
From sketch, to lino carving, to print.
First lino print ever and it definitely wont be my last.
Honorable mentions.
Images that didn’t make it into the book + cell phone photos.
Page 37
I spoke about this photo on this page. The lady should be behind the small black gate where the entrance arch is. So sad it was underexposed. Wish you all could have seen how she looked with her arms crossed there. Her demeanor only egged me on to still take her photo. Probably never the smartest thing to do but it always makes for a good story.
Page 62
The exact opposite side of the pink bathroom. I actually really liked this photo but I couldn’t figure out where to place it without ruining the flow of the book.
Page 103
I took this photo right after I finished writing on the back of that postcard that’s at the end of the book. We sat on the small round tables outside a restaurant that gave out more of a café vibe. I wish I remembered what we were drinking and munching on.
