Legendary French filmmaker Robert Bresson once said, “make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen.”
The practice of capturing the hidden has diversified quickly due to the burgeoning evolution of digital technology, affecting its processes both creatively and physically. While the digital takeover is almost impossible to evade, some young artists are keeping analogue photography alive.
Read the full article in Happy Mag Issue #4.
Who are these photographers and why do they choose film? Are they enticed by the challenge? Are they satisfying nostalgia? Or are they embracing the visual aesthetics of film for effect?
Although not a photographer myself, I do nestle a camera with me from time to time, especially a waterproof disposable when the moment calls. During a backpacking journey throughout Europe, my film camera captured what I couldn’t describe in words – elation floating in the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro; awe under the mountains in Dubrovnik, Croatia; and the mania of a brutal tomato fight at La Tomatina, Spain.
In 2015 I was in the painful process of retrieving my belongings from a loved one after a breakup. Meandering around his room, I panicked at the fleeting nature of a moment which would conclude our relationship. I was compelled to trap this moment in a little disposable camera which I had buried in my bag for months.
To Temoor Iqbal, a street photographer living in London for the past two years, “the trend of young people embracing analogue photography is a reaction to the nature of the modern world.”
“This ‘digital native’ upbringing obviously has a lot of advantages, but one thing it lacks is a sense of physical basis. Everything is ephemeral – content without form. As human beings, we’re not really prepared for this – we still crave and relish the tangible, almost as a reference point for our cultural understanding.”
This article features interviews with Temoor Iqbal, Elli Webb, Gideon de Kock, Paul “Santana” Bellas and Altair Zine.
Read the full article in Happy Mag Issue #4. In this issue you can:
Chat with Julia Jacklin for our cover interview.
Peek behind the scenes with Sydney’s Polographia.
Tackle the question: Why are so many festivals still coming through with male-dominated lineups?
Hike the arduous path to a proper drug policy in Australia.
Meet the illustrators behind Laneway Festival.
And hear from the photographer who takes a lens to Tame Impala and POND.
If you’re in Sydney, join us for our Issue #4 Launch Party.
