I love the process of shooting film, but I have had a poor track record of sending it off to be developed. So partially inspired by Jacqui, I have been learning how to develop it myself. I have a tendency to overthink new projects. When I had the same idea years ago, I bought a developing tank and I overthought the process so much that I never actually developed any film! In fact, when I recently decided it was time to try, I opened up the tank to find two undeveloped rolls in it, which I had now exposed to light. Oops! So this time around I decided not to overthink it. This time I just plunged in, and I am making loads of mistakes and have ruined some film. While it can be discouraging, I am determined to see it as a good thing. Mistakes mean I am doing the thing rather than just thinking about it and that I am learning. These photos are among my first self-developed and self-scanned. Please have patience with the multiple obvious problems: dust, spots, light leaks, and color issues etc.

Kirstin quoted W.E.B. Du Bois in a recent post, and I was reminded that he had lived nearby. There is a W.E.B. Du Bois self-guided walking tour of Great Barrington, a favorite town of mine, just 25 minutes away. On a certain Tuesday in November when I was in need of a distraction, I put a roll of Fuji 400 in a Canon AE-1 drove to the start of the tour.

Du Bois was an American sociologist, historian, author, and civil rights activist. He was one of the founders of the NAACP. Du Bois wrote of Great Barrington, “My town was shut in by its mountains and provincialism; but it was a beautiful place, a little New England town nestled shyly in its valley.”

The Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church, the starting point of the tour, is currently undergoing construction and will reopen as the Du Bois Freedom Center.

There are several recent murals of Du Bois in an alleyway:

The tour took me past the Town Hall, which is on the site of the former courthouse. This is where Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bet, won her freedom from slavery. Her case led the way to Massachusetts abolishing slavery.

The walk took me down to the river. The Housatonic is a river with a troubled history. Among other things, General Electric polluted it with PCBs. Du Bois cared greatly about the Housatonic. He said of it: “Rescue the Housatonic and clean it as we have never in all the years thought before of cleaning it… restore its ancient beauty; making it the center of a town, of a valley, and perhaps-who knows? of a new measure of civilized life.” The river has improved but still has a way to go. There is a park along the river dedicated to Du Bois.

Du Bois attended three different churches in Great Barrington throughout his life, including Clinton Church (shown above), St. James church, which he attended as a child with his mother:

…and the first congregational church, which he attended with his aunt after his mother’s death. They helped pay for his college education.

Learning about Du Bois’ life in Great Barrington as well as Great Barrington’s complicated recognition of his legacy gave me a perspective on small-town New England life that I hadn’t really considered before.

Thank you for joining me on my walk and for putting up with my crazy film scans. I hope in a few months I will have more consistent work to share!

A few more random photos from Great Barrington before I say goodbye:

~Deirdre