In Focus - Sroyon Mukherjee Posted On 3rd September 2024 To Magazine, Lockdown Sessions & In Focus

SECTION 1 - BACKGROUND

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

My favourite images tend to be of friends and family, but I’ll share an image that I like for its own sake (as opposed to purely personal or sentimental reasons). I made this picture at a street market in my hometown, Kolkata, using a homemade pinhole camera made from a cardboard box. I used ILFORD MGRC paper to record the image, so it’s a paper negative.

This image combines a number of things which appeal to me: documentary photography, experimental techniques, DIY and upcycling. I like that photography – which is often associated with realism – can also be used in expressionist and defamiliarizing ways. And on a personal note, this image was selected for exhibitions in Singapore and Mexico, which makes me feel like a ‘real photographer’.

Homemade pinhole camera - ILFORD MGRC paper negative (Kolkata,India)

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

I’m originally from India, but I’ve moved around a lot, and I’m currently based in Singapore. My day job is as an academic in environmental law, but I also love photography. I’m essentially an amateur, but for the past few years I’ve had a small income from photoshoots, print sales, workshops and writing about photography. I shoot both digital and film, and I particularly enjoy collaborative projects, alternative processes, and developing and printing in my makeshift darkroom. I’m also a regular contributor to two popular photography websites: 35mmc and Casual Photophile.

HOW AND WHY DID YOU GET STARTED SHOOTING FILM?

In 2011, my dad gave me his old Minolta SLR which he wasn’t using any more. At the time, I only had a small-sensor digicam. Using the much older Minolta was already very enjoyable – the optical viewfinder, tactile controls and delayed gratification. But when I got the scans and prints back from the lab, I knew there was no looking back. Somehow, that first roll had a higher proportion of ‘keepers’ than I get even now, after several years of using the camera. It’s like after all those years spent in a cupboard, the Minolta was trying hard to impress. Since then, I’ve shot digital and film in parallel. In 2018 I started developing and printing B&W film at home, which led me even further down the rabbit-hole.

Leica M3 ILFORD HP5+(Florence,Italy)

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST PHOTOGRAPHIC INSPIRATION TO DATE?

I love Wendy Ewald’s work, especially her collaborative, consensual and story-telling approach. Unlike with some other photographers, her subjects and collaborators never seem stereotyped or exoticised. And I’m always inspired by photographers like W Eugene Smith, Santu Mofokeng and Dorothea Lange whose work is tied up with activism and social justice.

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

Six years ago, my girlfriend at the time suggested that I try developing and printing at home. I got the necessary equipment, mostly from eBay, and set up a makeshift darkroom in the hallway of her flat in Copenhagen. Darkroom work is not for everyone, but I personally find it very rewarding. It also led to a deeper interest in photography, and indirectly, to writing gigs, exhibitions, occasional print sales and paid shoots.

Minolta-X-370 - ILFORD Delta 3200 (Copenhagen, Denmark)

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

I’ve done some dance shoots in the last year or so, but mostly on digital. Now that I’m a bit more confident, I want to try dance photography on film.

A couple of years ago I wrote a series of darkroom printing tutorials for 35mmc, which proved to be quite popular. I’d like to build on that with a series on how to get usable prints from bad negatives. I also have a project in mind combining darkroom prints with typewritten song lyrics. And I would like to try concocting organic, eco-friendly toners.

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

This weekend I’m doing a photoshoot with two friends – a writer and a photographer. They are collaborating to make a zine, so the plan is to take a few photos of them which they can hopefully use for their website and social media (website is now live).  I’ll mainly use my digital camera, but I also plan to take a few photos with my Minolta Autocord and ILFORD HP5+ film.

WHAT ARE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC GOALS GOING FORWARD?

I take pictures for fun, and other than the specific projects that I just talked about, I don’t really have overarching goals or plans. But I’m currently in discussions with a museum and a library here in Singapore, about a potential exhibition and a film photography workshop. I’m excited about these and hope they work out!

Minolta-X-700 - ILFORD HP5+ (Kolkata,India)

Minolta Autocord ILFORD HP5+ (Kolkata,India)

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.

Choosing three is hard since there are so many! To narrow it down, I thought I’d limit myself to photographers who currently have less than 2k followers.

@esthermaycampbell makes wonderful use of the square format, and her images often have mysterious or even sinister undertones which I find intriguing. @diego_garzia135 because I love the combination of wide-angle and BnW. @pushed_portra for the carefully-considered compositions, and of course, the tones.

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHY YOUTUBE CHANNELS.

I hardly watch YouTube, but my friend Molly has a channel, @Eclectachrome. If her Substack and Instagram are anything to go by, I’m sure her YouTube is great too!

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHIC RETAILERS.

I’ll share recommendations for the last few countries I’ve lived in.

Singapore: Ruby Ye Photo. Denmark: One of Many Cameras. India: Eastern Photographic. UK: Analogue Wonderland.

GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR FAVOURITE LAB SERVICE.

I develop BnW film at home. For colour, here in Singapore, I go to Whampoa Colour Centre (my neighbourhood lab) for colour negatives, and Ruby Ye Photo for slides.

Leica-M3 - ILFORD HP5+ (Munich, Germany)

SECTION 3 - FAVOURITE KIT

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

I mainly use three film cameras: a Leica M3, Minolta X-370s and Minolta Autocord. I like that they represent three classic types – rangefinder, SLR and TLR. It’s hard to pick a favourite, because they each have their individual personalities, pros and cons. I love the Leica’s simplicity and precision engineering. The SLR is more versatile, e.g. for macro or telephoto. The Autocord produces gorgeous 6×6 negatives, and its waist-level finder is fun to use.

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

It depends! Sometimes I just carry a camera with one lens and one roll of film. On other days, depending on my plans, I might have a tripod, cable release, filters, flash, light modifiers, radio triggers… the works. I don’t own a light meter, though. My Minolta SLR has a built-in TTL meter. With other cameras, I use a free phone app, or often just guess the light.

Agfa Record-II, ILFORD HP5+ (Kolkata,India)

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

My Leica M3 was a gift. Also, Hamish sent me an El-Nikkor 50mm f2.8, which is a superb enlarger lens; I use it all the time in my darkroom.

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?

My favourite film is HP5+. It’s so versatile, and the grain adds character without being overpowering. For printing, I use ILFORD MGRC Pearl. I like it a lot – deep blacks, delicate whites, responds well to contrast filters – but I haven’t used any other ILFORD papers, so I can’t really compare. These days I only use ILFORD chems: ID-11 (versatile, cheap and widely available), Multigrade Developer, Ilfostop and Rapid Fixer.

Leica M3 - ILFORD FP4+ (Munich,Germany)

Minolta-X-700 ILFORD Delta 400 (Kolkata,India)

AND FINALLY…

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

I would like to nominate Yannick Cormier (@yancorindia).

Minolta-X-370 - ILFORD FP4+ (Kolkata India)

Images ©Sroyon Mukherjee