THE SKETCHING TECHNIQUE

So I started experimenting with multiple exposure photography (MEP) a few months ago, probably out of creative boredom and probably, also, out of a willingness to insert that painterly aesthetic I love so much into my work hoping to raise its level of ‘seriousness’. I wanted not to take but to make pictures purposely, feeding them importance straight out of the lens and trying to so with great anticipation and great passion which all resulted in… many a tries, many a duds, one or two okay shots and not much else until I just stopped. I got tired. Or lazy. Or sidetracked by other projects. Or bogged down by the technicality of it all and wondering if this MEP stuff wasn’t, after all, a little too gimmicky for my taste…

So I gave up on MEP, at least as a practical intentional exercise, although I did manage to get a couple of dark moody B&W shots with penciled textures which reminded me of sketches one may have found in old newspapers clips. And I loved ‘em for they seemed to have this narrative power, the likes of which I find essential to meaningful photography, the kind which could inspire a larger project around the city I live in… if, eventually, I get the lazy off me.

Moreover, my short-lived foray into MEP also reminded me of one key photographic lesson I had forgotten, which may sound cliché but which remains timeless in its veracity: photography is not about technique ; photography is about intent. So whether MEP, ICM or any other technique may be suitable for the day, if one has nothing to say with his camera, one might as well put it down, take a break and enjoy the day.