Proposal:

For my final project, I would like to use my 35mm film camera to shoot images that represent my experience since quarantine. I am choosing to take film photographs rather than digital because I feel as though film better captures specific naturally occurring moments. I am drawn to the surprise effect of shooting over a period of time and having to wait for a specific outcome, not really knowing how things will turn out. This effect is representative of the time we are in as it is uncertain and suspenseful. I would like to use 400 ISO for half of my photos capturing the feelings of togetherness and the beautiful small moments that have occurred over the past month. I plan to use a mix of 400 ISO and 100 ISO to capture feelings of darkness, discomfort, and uncertainty that I have experienced through this pandemic. This project is important to me because this is a time that I’m sure generations to come will be asking about and I want to make a lasting memento of my experience.

I will be sending my film in to be processed (developed, printed, and scanned). Using either the prints from this film or the digitized copies, I will be making a photo album or photo book. I would like to do side by side pages tying my photos of discomfort to those of comfort as this is the back and forth that I have been experiencing. My source of inspiration for my “discomfort” photos is Edward Weston. I would like to pull out the emotion, uncertainty, and uneasiness in mundane objects in my house and yard to represent being stuck inside and not knowing when everything will be resolved. On the other hand, I want to be sure to contrast these with the photos I had started to take at the beginning of spring break when I thought we would be returning to campus as well as pictures of joy and family and natural beauty that have been revealed through this experience.

Timeline:

4/28: Shoot 2 rolls of film

5/4: Shoot 2 rolls of film

5/5: Send film in to be processed

Create book (not sure if I will be including text or not)—to be done whenever the photos come