“I feel a bit of braveness coming on…”: analog photo session with Cathy and Floyd
“WOW, nice trousers!” was my first thought as I saw Cathy walking towards me. She explained how she had rescued them from a dog-walked-out state by dying them dark blue. Striking in colour and structure!
I was already feeling inspired. I’d been standing at the top of the path to catch my breath (waiting to hopefully become less sweaty, would be more accurate) after rushing up through the clough, tall pink fireweed leaning in and so many trees filling my eyes. The sky was heavy and damp but there was a brightness too.
I wear a lovely silver ring on the middle finger of my left hand, made by Cathy – a gift for setting up her jewellery website a few years ago now (I feel the need to clarify that she paid me money as well, what a babe!) Sharing a love for looking closely in the grass at fungi and flowers, I often feel an extra glimmer of connection when Cathy ‘likes’ one of my posts on Instagram, in which the ring is visible. I’m often using that hand to hold still a stem, illustrate scale or display the gills of an upturned mushroom.
I mentioned, “a brightness,” but oh dear I started fretting at first when we were walking under the draping beech branches. It’s one of Cathy’s favourite places, trees creating a tunnel around the track, the light at the end of it. I wanted to capture that but my technology did not allow.
Or so I thought. I was quite surprised to see the crisp moodiness of this image, the first one I took that afternoon and to learn from Cathy that she loved it!
We were remarking together, skirting the edge of the wood, what our eyes do to adjust in varying light-levels. The light meter is more objective about things. I tried to remember that it had taken me time to Get Into It on other shoots, but I was beating myself up for being unprepared or “having the wrong film”. Taking action, I suggested we walked down into the meadows (and ordered some Portra 800 that evening).
The sun came streaming down and we admired the harebells and “eggs and bacon” plants – that name for them was new to me. So was the fact that fern and bracken are different guys! I’m going to try and find a video to help me learn the difference soon. Something about bifurcation and trifurcation…
I’m always grateful for the things I learn from other people in conversation, but especially outside. I like seeing what other people are drawn to, who they know the name or call of and I like sharing my own knowledge or hypotheses. Learning the landscape is a slow and enriching process, better together!
I can’t get over how smart and elegant Cathy’s hair is 🤭
When Cathy commented on a post I shared about the first of these sessions I did with Alice & Mars, saying, “I feel a bit of braveness coming on...” a funny sort of squealing sound came automatically out of my mouth. My first paying participant! I feel blessed to be believed in and trusted and I loved meeting Floyd four paws, the foxlike flycatcher whose gentle head and ears I stroked in moments of nervousness.
Technical Details
Camera: Canon EOS 1000F
a present from my aunt & uncle, my trusty companion for years already
Lens: Tamron SP 34-135mm, F/3.5-5.6, aspherical zoom
Film: Kodak Porta 400 35mm, 36 exp.
Dev & Scan: Take It Easy Lab, Leeds (use this referral link for 20% off their services)
Interested in an analog photo session? The free slots I opened up have been booked now, but I have decided to offer some at a reduced, introductory rate. Find out more here or send me an email or Instagram DM with any queries.
