Suffolk Landscapes in Analogue with Amy Marie Gladding

We recently met up with artist and photographer Amy Marie Gladding from Suffolk in East Anglia. She talked to us about documenting the changing landscapes and the buildings in her local area using a mix of LomoChrome films and Lomography cameras including the Sprocket Rocket and Fisheye No.2.

Hello Amy, please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a mother, an artist and a teacher. I grew up in Suffolk and have been recording the landscape and my rural surroundings on film for over a decade. I create work that blurs the boundaries between photography and art. I work with analogue beginnings and then use many techniques and processes to enhance and sometimes transform the images from their original starting point. My teaching job helps to keep my personal practice current and exciting and I’m always inspired by my young students. I am lucky enough to have a studio space at Asylum Studios not too far from my home in Suffolk.

What got you into shooting with film and what's the appeal?

I am old enough to have learnt analogue before digital was accessible, so my roots are in film. When I studied at art college, we were taught on SLRs and then learnt the basics in the darkroom. At university I continued exploring film and video and performance art too. All this was alongside my drawing practice, sculpture work and creative writing. My work has always been a mix of art forms and highly experimental.

I love the unknown aspect of film and the slower way of working. Having to relinquish control is important to me too, trusting in the process and constantly adapting to the results. The photographs are rarely the finished piece so there is less pressure for them to be perfect as I know I’m going to work through a process of build-up and breakdown before I get to the finished artifact.

How did you get on shooting with the LomoChrome Turquoise and what did you choose to shoot?

I had never tried the LomoChrome Turquoise film before and pre-ordered some from the recent batch. After waiting patiently for it to arrive (which built the suspense) I knew I would use it to shoot my normal landscape scenes and try some in-camera double exposures too.

Then I found myself wanting to shoot architectural structures too as there had been a shift in my practice to include more of the built environment and structures within nature. Once I got the scans back from my lab I was amazed at the colors, the double exposures had turned the orange skies to a gorgeous soft peach and the range of greens and blues within the Turquoise was beautiful! I can’t wait to explore this film more.

What has been your favorite Lomography camera or film so far and why?

I think my favorite film will always be the LomoChrome Purple and I feel like i'll never get bored of experimenting with it! I absolutely LOVE my Sprocket Rocket camera especially for panoramic views of the Suffolk landscapes.

What's coming up for you in 2023?

I’ve got a trip to Iceland planned in two weeks! I cannot wait to get back there to shoot the stunning landscape and I’ve got plenty of film including some LomoChrome Purple and Turquoise. I’ll be taking all the cameras including my Fisheye and Sprocket Rocket and my old Polaroid 600 to get some instant film shots too.

After that I have a residency in a Riso studio (at the Art Station in Saxmundham, Suffolk) so I will be adapting some of the film shots into Risograph prints. I'll continue submitting work to open calls and competitions and I have a few exhibitions coming up soon.

For details of Amy's upcoming exhibitions and to see more of her work check out her website and Instagram account.

2023-03-18 #news #people #suffolk #international-womens-day-2023 #iwd2023 #amy-gladding #saxmundham