Random Associations and Expired Film

Photography By Sarah Witt

Analog photographer Sarah Witt talks about taking your time in film photography, shooting in a lightning storm, and making the decision to become a full-time photographer.

Biarritz, France

What is your history as a photographer?

I started photography thanks to my family. My parents were keen on traveling. Since I was very young age, we were always on the road and traveling the world made me want to photograph it. I did my first summer job as an air hostess for a flight company. This job made me travel to many different countries, going from Japan to Mali within the same week. I wanted to translate the atmosphere of each stopover, document each encounter, and capture the energy stored there by photographing it. I think that is where and when it all started. I then alternated between studies, work and travel as in 2018 where I left for several months to produce photo essays in India, Cuba & Japan. I have been represented by an art gallery since 2019 and in 2020 I decided to go freelance to devote all my time and energy to photography.

How would you describe your style? What makes your perspective unique?

It’s hard to describe, I hope the pictures speak for themselves. I’d say that my work is spontaneous, not clean, not perfectly aligned, but that’s how I like it. Random association of things that creates beauty. Always with a vintage spirit as I mostly use analog cameras and expired films.

You often shoot using analog photography. Why do you enjoy this type of photography?

Even though I do most of my orders digitally, I remain passionate about film for my personal projects. I like the idea that you only got 36 pictures in a roll, so you need to think before pushing that button. I like the way you have to take your time with film photography. I like the idea of going back to the origins of photography while manipulating chemicals in the darkroom.

It was in 2017, when I joined the photo department of the Center Jean Verdier in Paris, that I learned darkroom processing and printing techniques specific to black and white photography. I now have the chance to share, with two other artists, a small photo lab in the heart of Biarritz where we spend hours discovering and deepening film techniques. It is a place full of magic.

What’s the story behind one of your images ?

What I like about photography is the unexpected: when the photographer becomes a witness to a particular, unexpected situation; A precise moment when the elements align beautifully, in such a way that we want to freeze them into images. Totally unforeseen and ephemeral.

The story behind the photo Blue Storm is this kind of magic. I was shooting underwater with my Nikonos, an old analog camera originally used for submarine photos. My sister Clara was surfing and she didn’t want to get back on the boat, which was really upsetting me. It was starting to get dark around us, the wind was waking up, we could hear that a storm was coming. Waves were getting bigger. I was trying to shoot around me but it was all dark. I decided to do one last shot of my sister surfing and at the very precise moment I pushed the button a storm lightning brightened up the sky (the white part you can see in the clouds). This 2 seconds lightning created the beauty of this picture, otherwise it would have been all dark.

From all of the places you’ve traveled to, which ones were your favorites to photograph and why ?

India ! For all the colors around, for the abundance of details everywhere, for all the unexpected situations at every corner of the streets, for its people always curious about the camera. I’ll never get tired of photographing India.

How is it being a photographer in Biarritz, France? What about the city inspires you ?

Being a photographer in Biarritz is super inspiring. This small city is crowded with many other artists, so the artistic vibe is high and it is super inspirational. I am working in a cool studio with other photographers and filmmakers, and sharing together is a real strength. Second, for the unreal beauty of the city and the proximity with natural elements. We are surrounded by the mountains and the ocean.

You recently started to take on photography full time. How did you get to this point? Why did you decide that now was the best time? And how is it going ?

Thanks to the pandemic ! I was working full time for a startup company whose activity stopped during the crisis. So for months I was putting all my time and energy into my photographs and it felt so good working full time on the exhibition ‘La Vague’ (summer 2020). When the crisis was over, I felt like I could not go back to “normal” life and it was the best decision I ever made.

How do you think you’ve grown and changed as an artist since you first started? What’s next for you?

For the past few years, I’ve been doing photography for the artistic aspect. I’ve been evolving in this direction, always looking for a better esthetic through my images. Now I want to add more sense to it. My next move is to start with photojournalism. I’d like to produce photographs which are useful for a cause, which denounce, which give visibility to the ones who need it. I’m just jumping into this world and I’ll start soon with a photo project in Guadeloupe about a very toxic pesticide used there in the 70s and still causing diseases to the inhabitants of the island. I hope I can share the images here soon !