Work Retreat Wasteland
By A.R. Clark
I am a terrible film photographer. I know how to work a camera and I am proud of my work, but when I look at the stack of undeveloped film piling up higher and higher in my room, I have to ask, what’s the point of taking a photo if you don’t ever see it yourself?
Every few months, when the inspiration hits me, or if I don’t have any shoots scheduled for a week, I’ll work on the stack. This usually coincides with shooting a new roll. My DLSR is bulky, so I don’t like to take it to situations where I want to be candid. I much prefer a small point and shoot.I took some film photos at a friends show, and when I went to send them off, I grabbed a couple rolls from the pile, and seven business days later, i felt the strange impact that only happens with sudden memories.The roll was from a work retreat a few years back. I worked briefly for a non-profit, and it was a fun two day excursion to some cabins to grow as friends and coworkers, and discuss the organizations’ mission. It was also a chance to revert back to high school days and drink like the booze was illegal. These photos are the last vestibule of one summer evening that felt permanent, and the strange melancholy that it disappeared into a pile of undeveloped film.
