Why do people ask why?

People often ask me why I shoot film? Why not digital? Depending on my mood I find the question to be somewhere ranging from puzzling to irritating. This is so for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the tone of the question is often accusatory and I must admit, it often leaves me bewildered? Secondly, the question is too often the starting point of the conversation rather than asking and/or commenting about the work itself. Isn’t that what’s really important? Why do the mechanics matter so much?

Truth be told, it was not a choice of one over the other. I simply used (and still do!) whatever was available to me when I started shooting back in ’03. And what was available was my friends’ 35 mm manual SLR camera. The work was produced with very limited resources: financial, health, energy, equipment, supplies & know-how. These rigid constraints often felt claustrophobic, yet, paradoxically, the work flowed as did opportunities to exhibit. I do not believe the equipment matters in the end; it is merely a tool. Genuine questions about my work are always welcomed – yes, both the why & the how.

Save