Honest. Advocate: Daniela Pastere

June 06, 2016 by T. in Honest. Advocates

Daniela Pastere

Jurmala, Latvia - 2015Zenit 11 camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film — Jurmala, Latvia - 2015
Zenit 11 camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film

Daniela Pastere is a twentysomething, born and raised in Riga, currently living in the beautiful city of Hamburg.
Fascinated by all things visual, whether it is photography, sculpture or illustration, she tries to capture life as she sees it.
She often wishes her camera would be light as a feather and a bit smaller, so she could never leave home without it.

Kemeri, Latvia - 2016Zenit 11 camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film — Kemeri, Latvia - 2016
Zenit 11 camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film

The most common theme in her work is most certainly the relationship between human and nature.

Daniela talks about escaping to the wilderness, the dramatic change from our fast-paced environment with a constant exposure to stress and a never-ending information flow to the state of complete silence and stillness.

Hamburg, Germany. - 2012Zenit 12xp camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film — Hamburg, Germany. - 2012
Zenit 12xp camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film

“I like to portray the feeling of smallness and fragility of people in the face of Mother Nature: Their intimate, honest relationship with it while no one is around as they turn inward, look outward and enjoy the silence.”

— Daniela Pastere

Riga, Latvia - 2016Zenit 11 camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film — Riga, Latvia - 2016
Zenit 11 camera, Kodak Ultramax 35mm film

“My biggest challenge is to capture the atmosphere in every photo, to deliver feelings even to those who do not hold any memories of the happening.”

— Daniela Pastere

“Film photography with its exquisite warm colors adds the nostalgic feel to the photographs and seems to fit my aim perfectly.”

— Daniela Pastere

In 2014 her work was featured in the RIGA SELF/PORTRAITS exhibition as part of the Riga 2014 European Capital of Culture programme.

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Honest. Advocate: James Haitchwai

May 24, 2016 by T. in Honest. Advocates

James Haitchwai

James Haitchwai is a photographer, mixed-media artist, musician and writer. "Jack of all trades, master of none," as he likes to put it.

A product of Washington DC's punk scene, he approaches his photography with a do-it-yourself ethos. It is his firm belief that trial and error and a willingness to learn from one's mistakes are the best ways to develop as an artist.

James uses manual film cameras exclusively. His favorites are a Pentax K1000 and a Nikon FM3A with a broken light meter.
Kodak Portra and Tmax and drugstore color Fujifilm are his go-to films.
James prefers the simplicity and immediacy of this format over digital. He finds that without the option of digitally tweaking pictures later on, he experiences a more direct connection with his subjects.

These pictures were taken while aimlessly wandering around DC and Baltimore, MD 2013-2015. They are good examples of his spontaneous, instinctual approach to photography.

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HONEST. Advocate: Vai Yu Law

July 09, 2015 by T. in Honest. Advocates

VAI YU LAW

Iceland - September 2014Camera: Nikon FM2 ||  Film: Vista 200 / Vista 40 — Iceland - September 2014
Camera: Nikon FM2 || Film: Vista 200 / Vista 40

Vai Yu Law is a fashion, portrait and travel photographer based in Toronto, Canada. She has been shooting professionally for 4 years.

Vai loves the colours, the mood, the grain and the rawness that analogue photography gives to photographs. During her trip to Europe, she wanted to remember the moment she took a photograph so she chose her Nikon FM2.
Because it takes a few extra more seconds to capture a moment in film Vai feels that analogues are more memorable and that a story is attached to each picture.

“Iceland. I had grown interest in Iceland mainly through the influence of a band I adore, Sigur Ros.
I had dream of visiting there but never did, until last year in September.

In 2014, it was a pretty un-inspiring year for me as a photographer. Many things around me seemed tedious, and I felt my life was monotonous. The harder I sought out for inspiration, the further away I was from producing work that would make me happy.
I felt lost and I essentially wanted to leave Toronto, to go somewhere, anywhere. I booked my flight two months before flying, not realizing what I was doing to be honest. Was this the right time? I was going to be away for a month. ”

— Vai Yu Law

“I was extremely busy up until the day of my flight. I still wasn’t sure what I was doing. I was unprepared and all I booked was a hostel in Reykavik, Iceland.
I planned most of my trip while I was on the plane. I was planning on travelling England, Spain, France and Denmark (but I made changes and went to Austria instead of Denmark), as well.

My trip changed me.
I found myself, again.
Once I had stepped foot on Iceland soil, my heart was filled with excitement. I felt I had made the right decision. Iceland is such a beautiful country and I know many people would agree. I wandered around a lot, finding beauty walking on silent streets in an unknown territory. The feeling of bliss trickled through my entire body. I felt revived, refreshed and ready to explore the world, and importantly, learn about myself again.
There’s never a right time to stop learning about oneself.
Always be true to yourself, go with your gut feeling and time wouldn’t be a factor when you’re living fully in the moment. ”

— Vai Yu Law

Via Yu Law's but next analogue project will be shooting a lingerie and portrait editorial story.

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HONEST. Advocate: Tia Leino

July 02, 2015 by T. in Honest. Advocates

TIA LEINO - MEMORY LANE

Used in this project: Camera: Minolta XD-7 - lenses used were Vivitar 28 mm f 2.8 and Minolta MD Rokkor 50 mm f 1.4.  Various color negative films: Kodak Ektar 100, Kodak Potra 800 and Fujifilm X-tra Superia 400. — Used in this project: Camera: Minolta XD-7 - lenses used were Vivitar 28 mm f 2.8 and Minolta MD Rokkor 50 mm f 1.4.
Various color negative films: Kodak Ektar 100, Kodak Potra 800 and Fujifilm X-tra Superia 400.

Tia Leino was born in Lahti, Finland in 1977. Her interest in photography started during her first trips around Europe.
Tia has done various courses of photography in Italy and the UK. In 2009 she started a 3 years degree in photography at GrisArt, “Escuela Internacional Fotografia” in Barcelona, where she specialized in creating fine art projects.

Tia currently works as a freelance photographer and is still passionate about film photography and old-school techniques. She lives and works in Barcelona.

“Time flies and waits for no one. This is a retro-perspective and very personal photography project about my father, who passed away too early – from a stroke at the age of 53. It is my last words to him.
This series is all about time, life and death, and how the present meets the past. In this project I go back to my roots and construct my memory all over again, in order to not to forget, reflecting it to this moment and trying to make it remain forever.

“We exist as long as somebody remembers us” (Carlos Ruiz Zafón). The human memory is fragile and we do not have clear memories from most parts of our lives at all. When someone dies, one story is gone, only the interpretation remains. To be able to remember we need to tell a story.”

— Tia Leino

“I prefer analogue photography for its authenticity.
For me, it has more feeling than digital shots, plus I like the tones and textures better than in digital.
Also, you never know the final result on before hand and it leaves space for surprises, as in life in generally.
I didn´t want to amend the reality with any kind of postproduction, you need to take and accept things as they are.
For this project particularly, I chose analogical method because it made me easier to reflect the past and the nostalgia.
Film grain also reminds me of memory, something very fragile made of thousands of pieces.
As result, the images are not perfect but nor they are supposed to be.
The camera is old and it has gained dust etc, but that suits in the nature of the project.

I welcome casualty and coincidence, which also make a big part of our life. ”

— Tia Leino

All images of this project have been taken on film and no kind of digital postproduction is involved. The original and complete work of art is a handmade book. Here selected images are part of it and they have been on display in various exhibitions in Spain.

This series was created during the years 2011 and 2012 and published in 2012.

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HONEST. Advocate: Mathias Baumgart

June 11, 2015 by T. in Honest. Advocates

Mathias Baumgart

Praktica MTL 5B; Film: Fuji Superia 200Flugplatz Tempelhof - Berlin, GermanyMarch 2013 — Praktica MTL 5B; Film: Fuji Superia 200
Flugplatz Tempelhof - Berlin, Germany
March 2013

Mathias Baumgart is a 26 year-old photographer living and working in Vienna, Austria.
In his work he switches between exploring the digital image creation process, which the 21st century has brought us, and observing his direct surroundings with an old-fashioned analog camera.

Mathias is fascinated by the potential of abstraction in film photography. Using standard methods like framing, exposure control and the development process he creates images that refer to the world in the form of shapes, shadows and silhouettes.
In a sceptical approach Mathias questions the theory of photographs as objective reproductions. He tries to use new ways of seeing reality through a lens and on a flattened, composed and eventually manipulated picture – even without the need of modern post production tools.

“I like the grip and the textured look an analog photograph has - digital images often look too smooth. Working with “real” photographs, actually holding one in your hand after you’ve developed them has always been more pleasing for me.

The fact that I am limited to only 36 images has also helped me work more thoughtfully and to be more precise.”

— Mathias Baumgart

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HONEST. Advocate: Mia Berg

June 04, 2015 by T. in Honest. Advocates

Mia Berg - I Looked For You In Every Field

Shot on Nikon F-100, 35mm Nikon Portra NC film 2007 — Shot on Nikon F-100, 35mm Nikon Portra NC film
2007

Mia Berg uses photography and video to explore the relationship between the human and the natural environment. Enacting a conversation with light, distance and gesture, Berg and her partner incorporates their bodies into her compositions as an extension of their environment, invoking a dialogue on human coexistence with the natural world.

The two figures create a cinematic space that examines ideas of intimacy and symbiosis in relationships between humans and those with nature. Nature and love are an inseparable dyad- Berg’s introduction of human love into her relationship with the natural environment tests the capacities of the heart to maintain ones innermost desires and needs within a primal and fluid relational context.

Berg received a BFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design in 2007 and currently works and resides in Brooklyn and Springs, NY.

“This body of self portrait work is autobiographical and represents my experience.
I find myself and my partner to repeatedly be the subject of my work because the process of creating each image requires a very in-the-moment interaction with the environment and each other.
The image records the experience as it plays out.
It is not a complete work to me if I am only behind the lens observing and recording, I am also an active participant.
The creation of the work allows for both thoughtful and unconscious introspection, allowing me to evaluate and internalize what is important to me.
There is a large emphasis today on living in the cultural and creative facilitator of the city structure, which has left the human need for and attention to nature undervalued and neglected.
It’s easy to forget how important it is not only to preserve but to experience the elements we came from.
Like the Romantic painters of the late 19th century responding to the Industrial Revolution and social and scientific rationalization, I hope people will again remember the richness and sublimity of communing with nature.
The heartbreak of destroying so much of our natural world is inversely manifested in a need for human love and compassion- not just romantically but universally.”

— Mia Berg

“Working with film affects my creative process in a way that lends itself to a more thoughtful still image. My digital work has a completely different process, focus and tone. I have also never found a way to digitally replicate the poetic richness of film.”

— Mia Berg, when asked about her choosing analogue photography

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HONEST. Advocate: Xenia Bluhm

May 28, 2015 by T. in Honest. Advocates

With her small, plain and sometimes unpredictable Holga camera, Xenia tries to capture mundane situations in foreign countries. It’s all about capturing that one tiny little fracture in time that radiates everything about the mood, the light and the magic of that specific motive she encountered.

HONEST. Issue 0

February 20, 2015 by Luca-Mercedes Stemer

A lot of things have happened in the past four months. Quickly after we (drunkenly) had decided to found a magazine solely featuring analog photography, we set up a website and started contacting photographers. It was only a couple of days into the New Year that our Facebook Page went online and quickly gained more attention. Thanks to our friends, who shared and liked and talked about HONEST consistently, we are happy to have gathered more than 500 followers in less than a month!