This week, for our 84th In Focus interview, we speak with Austrian photographer and writer Birgit Buchart, who made the move to New York City in 2018.

SECTION 1 - BACKGROUND

SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE / PRINT SHOT ON ILFORD FILM AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU?

In my early 20s, I spent a lot of time on the road with musicians, shooting a lot of concerts and festivals. And while they appreciated the documentation of the shows, I never truly loved the photos. To me it was not very interesting to photograph a somewhat rehearsed stage performance in artificial light. One day, my professor in a journalism class asked us to write a reportage piece on a community or place we have access to that perhaps our classmates did not. That’s when I realized where I needed to be also with my camera. I often have to remind myself to not only look for something new, unknown to photograph but to pay attention to what’s right in front of me, the places I have access to that others may not be able to see.

I took this photo of saxophonist Ben Flocks backstage in New Jersey, when I went to see my friends play a show. It’s quite a big band and everyone has been hanging out, eating and laughing. But minutes before the show started, all the musicians got really concentrated and quiet.  I love this shot I got of Ben warming up in front of the mirror. I could feel the tension before the show.

Black and white image of a man playing the saxophone

ILFORD DELTA 3200 | Hasselblad 500cm

JUST IN CASE ANYONE DOESN’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU DO, CAN YOU GIVE US THE OVERVIEW?

My name is Birgit Buchart and I am a photographer and writer from Salzburg, Austria. After studying English Literature in Munich, Germany, I moved to New York in 2018, where I really found my place in the film photography community.

HOW AND WHY DID YOU GET STARTED SHOOTING FILM?

I owe it to my dad. I think I was about 10 years old when he gave his old SLR camera to my older sister. Looking back now, I don’t know if I really was interested in shooting myself or if I just was jealous of the bond they were forming over it, but I told them I wanted to be part of that project. So he found another Revueflex 3003 on ebay and showed us both how to use them. It brought me closer to my dad and also taught me how to access a certain creative side of me. In hindsight, I believe what I instantly loved about film photography was that my success wasn’t immediately measurable. There was less pressure than any other art or sports I had done up until then, because in the moment of creation, neither me nor anyone else can criticize or judge the photo. This only happens much later, detached from the act itself, so the result doesn’t spoil the process of creating it. That’s a big part of why I still stick to film over digital.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST PHOTOGRAPHIC INSPIRATION TO DATE?

My main source of inspiration are my friends. I am lucky to have lots of creatives around me, photographers, musicians, dancers, designers, film makers, painters. That leads to tons of conversations, which always fuel me.

I also spend a lot of time in museums and I soak in a ton of different works. I love Nan Golding, Ruth Orkin, Saul Leiter. A photographer I regularly come back to is Robert Frank. As a European moving  to New York, Robert Frank’s famous “The Americans” really spoke to me. I have since mostly moved away from classic street photography but found that whatever phase I am in artistically, there is some work by Robert Frank I can turn to for inspiration. And I’m talking about the good kind of inspiration, the overwhelming, emotional kind, which is not necessarily coming from the image itself but the emotion of it. A lot of his work is very different to mine, so I am not looking at any visual elements to copy. But it makes me feel like I completely understand the artist and his mind at that moment of creation.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF PHOTOGRAPHY TIP OR ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED?

“The only difference between them and you is that they’re doing it.”

WHAT FILM PHOTOGRAPHY RELATED PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON (OR ARE IN THE PIPELINE)?

Last fall I showed an excerpt from a personal project titled “Let Me Hold It For You”, which I will continue to work on. After moving across the ocean, my grandmother and I started writing letters which taught me a lot more about her and her life. She has repeatedly asked me to “do something with her memories”, she is writing down. With this project I am working through her trauma, learning a lot about trauma and how it affects generations.

WHAT / WHERE IS YOUR NEXT SHOOT AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT FILM / KIT YOU WILL USE?

I am shooting with a friend and very talented jazz drummer, Diego Ramirez, this coming weekend in the Greenhouse at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. We want some wide angle shots, so I’ll definitely be bringing a Fuji GSW690III, which I am currently borrowing from a friend (shoutout to Josh). I will bring a range of different color and B&W stocks, some ILFORD DELTA 3200 is always in the bag as backup, since I won’t be able to use flash or lights. I like to bring various options to stay flexible rather than having a precise plan and stress out if it doesn’t work out as expected.

Black and white shot of a man playing the piano

ILFORD DELTA 3200 | Hasselblad 500cm

SECTION 2 - SHOUT OUTS

We all need a bit of inspiration and love so this is your chance to tell the community about yours – from the film photographers whose work inspires you, the labs you trust with your film, your ‘go to’ film photography stockists, your favourite community darkrooms or just anyone in the community who you feel deserves a special mention.

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR 3 FAVOURITE FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Ingridi Viruel is a photographer and director based in NY, with a beautiful, poetic photographic style. She has a deep understanding for the analog medium and works with a lot of different processes.

Sara Messinger is a NY-based photographer I really admire. I don’t know her personally but have been following her work and love her way of documenting communities and the streets of New York.

Noah Fox is a very talented photographer, I got to meet recently on a photography trip. Looking through his photos is incredibly meditative. The calmness of the photos is simply beautiful. I’d love for more people to see his work.

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHY YOUTUBE CHANNELS.

Graincheck I love Taylor’s videos because she perfectly captures the feeling of shooting. The way she talks about photography and how she approaches images resonate with me a lot. It’s often more about why we shoot and the process itself rather than the perfect shot. She’s awesome!

Grainydays I came for the humor but stayed for the work. When I first started watching Jason’s videos I mostly thought they’re entertaining while I can learn about gear and techniques. But I believe we’ve had the unique privilege to watch Jason grow in real time and become a truly exceptional photographer. He’s inspired me a lot.

Bad flashes Caleb’s videos are pure joy! They are the perfect reminder to go have fun with photography and motivate me to simply go out and shoot, when I’m stuck home overthinking. You can tell he puts a ton of work into his videos while making them feel fun and light. And between all the fun and jokes Caleb has this very pure, unmistakable passion for film photography, which is contagious.

Black and white mirror reflection

ILFORD DELTA 3200 | Hasselblad 500cm

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHIC RETAILERS.

Go check out Brooklyn Film Camera if you’re in New York. They have great gear and even better events for the community.
Address: 855 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11221

Eagle Rock Camera is my favorite shop on the West coast, beautifully designed and the selection of photo books. Run by fantastic people, make sure to stay for a cup of coffee and chat.
Address: 1754 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE LAB SERVICE.

I develop most of my film at Exposure Therapy, they’re my neighborhood lab and run by wonderful, passionate people.
Address: 615 Marcy Ave Store #3, Brooklyn, NY 11206

Black and white line of men

ILFORD DELTA 3200 | Hasselblad 500cm

Black and white picture of a man playing the drums

ILFORD DELTA 3200 | Hasselblad 500cm

SECTION 3 - FAVOURITE KIT

WHAT FILM CAMERAS DO YOU OWN AND WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

I will list the ones I own and also use: Hasselblad 500c/m, Mamiya RB67, Contax G1, Leica CL,  Polaroid SX70, Pentax17, LC-A+. I can’t pick a favorite 🙂 I love the RB67 but due to its weight I can't bring it on all my trips, which is why I have the Hasselblad 500c/m, which ends up being my most used camera.

ASIDE FROM YOUR CAMERA, LENSES AND FILM, WHAT ACCESSORIES MAKE IT INTO YOUR CAMERA BAG?

I always have the Sekonic light meter on me for the Hasselbald or RB67. On the Leica CL I use the Keks KMQ. Apart from that I am always trying some new accessory, like different filters.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF PHOTOGRAPHY KIT YOU HAVE FOUND OR BEEN GIFTED?

My first camera. It happened to be a Revueflex 3003, but it doesn’t even matter what kind it was. It was my first camera and changed my life, so I would say it was the best piece I’ve ever received.

Black and white shot of a man playing an instrument

ILFORD DELTA 3200 | Hasselblad 500cm

AS THIS IS AN ILFORD INTERVIEW IT WOULD BE REMISS OF US NOT TO ASK ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE ILFORD PRODUCTS. TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE ILFORD FILM, PAPER OR CHEMS AND WHY?

ILFORD DELTA 3200 is a life saver at Jazz shows! I usually have a roll in my bag, just in case and I love using it!

AND FINALLY…

NOMINATE ONE OTHER PERSON YOU THINK SHOULD FILL IN THIS FORM AND WE WILL REACH OUT TO THEM.

Jason Kummerfeldt, please! He was the first to tell me to push HP5+.

Black and white picture of the moon

ILFORD DELTA 100 | Mamiya RB67

 

Images - ©Birgit Buchart