Josephine Goris

Inheritance

The thing nobody really tells you about when it comes to inheriting a legacy is the weight of it, and what follows the inevitable acceptance of it. My late grandfather Hendrikus Goris was an avid film photographer in his early 20’s - much like myself. I recently had the privilege of scanning and archiving some incredible images from his earlier years, 30+ rolls of film documenting family life with some rather editorial styled portraits sprinkled in. Most of them were shot on ILFORD film in the early 1950’s.

Josephine Goris

The last time I spoke to him at home in his cosy office, we chatted a little about my own film journey. He truly didn’t believe me when I said that film is still very much around today, that it’s readily available and actually in a state of revival. He seemed impressed that someone ‘so young’ was interested in it despite today’s day and age of digital cameras and smartphones capable of doing so much more. Personally he didn’t plan to pick up a camera or develop film any time soon - claimed he was too old now - but wished me the best of luck with it. In the end, I like to think he was happy that someone dabbled in a family pastime.

Josephine Goris

A Turning Point

When I got my own chance to play with some ILFORD film for the first time, I had a strong desire to create something special with it. I had seen sample photos and heard all the rage about ILFORD HP5 Plus and how easy it is to develop black and white film at home. I eagerly raced online to purchase some and began compiling a moodboard which soon evolved into a photoshoot concept I couldn’t get out of my head.

Josephine Goris

Made For It!

I was able to collaborate with an amazing creative team to capture some stunning grunge inspired photos in an empty parking lot in Wollongong, on the South Coast of NSW, Australia. Everyone was excited and on board once I pitched the concept and what I aimed to achieve. It was a multi-stage shoot with several types of film shot - colour, redscale, and of course black and white. I wanted to play with dynamic angles, interesting lighting, and curate a strong moody feel to them. Elle Farrow had previous modelling experience for film projects and I felt as though she had the perfect aesthetic for what I was going for - it was like she was made for it!

Josephine Goris

Holding Poses

She was open and willing to try new things and was enthusiastic about the challenge of holding poses while I fumbled with my film cameras as I had three hanging around my neck, each one loaded with a different film stock. Jordan Turner second shot on digital, while I was both the main photographer, and makeup artist - aiming for an almost avant garde goth look for styling - with the end goal of producing ‘fashion magazine’ editorial images.

Allowed Us to Relax

Elle is a seasoned pro when it comes to modelling so very little guidance was needed once things kicked off. We were able to spend some time together before the shoot while I was doing her makeup which allowed us to relax and chat casually, as well as go over the mood board and throw some additional ideas around. I find it really helps to go into any project with excitement and friendliness - even if you’re terribly anxious! The last thing you want is for your subject to feel stiff or uncomfortable while holding a pose, so I always make sure I’m maintaining continued communication - speaking out loud to say I’m finding my focus, lining things up, directing the model’s pose, and then count down from 3 before I hit the shutter.

Josephine Goris

Free Reign

Elle expressed a desire to play with a few interesting facial expressions and emotions as well which were a lot of fun. Halfway through the shoot I gave her free reign to pose however she wanted and captured a striking image of her squishing her cheeks and showing a worried look. It has become one of my favourite images.

Overall the experience of the shoot was fairly laid back as all parties involved were focussed on having fun and experimenting with something new - this allowed a lot of room to breathe and to be fairly flexible.

Equipment

Camera - Ricoh KR-10 Super - Rikenon 50mm f/1.7
Film - ILFORD HP5 Plus
Developed in Kodak D-76 using a 1:1 ratio - continuous agitation for 11 minutes
DSLR Scanned - Canon 5D MKii - 100mm macro
Converted in Negative Lab Pro, lightly dust removed and cropped to 4x5.

Forging My Own Path

I honestly didn’t expect to fall in love with the black and white film roll I shot. It had been a year or so of shooting purely colour film so I was quite nervous at first, but when I pulled the film out of the tank after developing it myself - I couldn’t contain my excitement! Upon scanning the film I was blown away. It turned out so much better than imagined. I love the richness of the shadows, how inky black it is, and the way it handles harsh lighting without blowing out the highlights. My first ‘big’ concept on black and white film was a success!

Josephine Goris

Marks the Beginning

This is a photoshoot I return to over and over again, and is one of the earlier portraits that I’m so fond of. It’s the roll of film that marks the beginning of cultivating my own legacy in so many ways. It’s the first black and white portrait roll I developed by hand, scanned and learned to edit myself. I remember the frustration of struggling to get developing ratios right, the anxiety of not knowing if it would turn out, and the countless hours calibrating scanning settings… oh the stress of it all! I’m grateful I persevered with it because I wouldn’t be as far along as I am today if I didn’t give it a red hot go.

Josephine Goris

 

Josephine Goris

Moving forward

There’s always a lingering pressure to produce something that is spectacular and showcases the versatility of film, regardless of the type of film or subject I shoot. It grows stronger the more I master my art. I think a part of it has to do with wanting to make loved ones proud at the end of the day. Another part of it is trying to tackle imposter syndrome which always lingers in some capacity - like somehow I’m one bad roll away from everything unravelling. Either way, I always think of my Grandfather whenever I load a roll of Ilford film into my camera and I have tried to follow in his footsteps in more recent times - attempting to recreate some of his earlier work in mid 2023. I can only hope I’m making him proud.

Josephine Goris

Magic

At the end of the day, we’re all so different in the way we practise our art. His work seemed more traditional, perfected even - whereas mine is at times highly experimental. I like weird things, messing with film, pushing it to its limits, and thinking outside the box. Shooting with thrifted cameras that I rescue and couldn’t bear to see go to waste. I repair them myself - mainly Ricoh’s - and have an utter obsession with every little cool technical thing you can do with film. The process is as amazing as much as capturing the actual images. There’s just so much magic in watching it come alive with your own hands that can’t be replicated elsewhere - and that magic feeling is what I chase again and again in my work.

Josephine Goris

The timelessness of film

I know that I can never be exactly the same as my Grandfather - and although we were quite alike personality wise, my own art practice is unique to my life experiences, goals, and overall passion for what I like to create. I like to think with each step I take forward in my journey I’m creating memories for future generations to look back on - much like how I look back fondly on his work - and I can only hope they’ll too will be enchanted by the timelessness of film.

Josephine Goris

© Josephine Goris