202020

Towards the end of 2019, one of my Instagram friends, Heidi Peters, asked if anyone might be interested in joining a film project with her. She had tons of black and white film that had been donated to her by a high school that discontinued their film photography class. She had no guaranteee what kind of film it was because it was bulk rolled when she received it. It was labelled TRi-X so we assumed it was that.

There was no curriculum or agenda for this project other than to shoot images you were passionate about. The project was for us to enjoy. We received 20 rolls in the mail and were asked to share 20 images throughout 2020 on Instagram, 202020project. It was not a competition, it was a project to be inspired and perhaps, we should feel so honored as to inspire others well in the process.

And then Covid happened. And lockdown. And there was nowhere to go and nothing to shoot… Even if there had been, all labs were closed. And even if they had been open, we have all learned recently that what and how we felt throughout 2020 (and still are feeling, apparently) is languished. Nobody was up to doing much of anything, sadly.

We were a big, vibrant group; twenty people that ranged from a high school student to a grandma, Heidi told us. However, even though we started strongly, the project slowly lost the initial energy and the images on Instagram began to wean. There are thirty four images posted on IG where there should have been four hundred or more. Yet, the images that are posted are a beautiful reflection of the kind of photographers we are and all the wonderful images we can create.

Heidi has encouraged us to keep shooting and I am determined to finish those rolls eventually. Because I am committed to this project that felt meaningless in a year that felt so wrong, but it might be now the creative boost I need to move forward.

Thank you, Heidi, for this opportunity.

Maite