Magic Light
Photographs by Jenny Dougherty

This series of photographs was inspired by the way a tree, just a block from my house, was given character by light when I took the time to see it.  Illuminated by late afternoon sun it seemed to be weeping in it’s own shadow.  After walking by this tree countless times, I started photographing what I was drawn to.  At the beginning, I did not analyze, I simply went out and made photographs of spaces that intrigued me.  I am obsessed with the way light transforms the ordinary.  With a camera, I have the power to direct the eyes of others towards this phenomenon.  These photographs record how the light plays; offering little fragments of beauty to the viewer.  Though they were all taken in the Waco area, these images are not about a specific person, city, street or house.  My intention is to make photographs that depict the emotional and visual impact that light has even on the most familiar of places.

All of these images have been created using a Holga camera.  The Holga is a plastic toy-like camera with limited technological features, which is part of its attraction. I am drawn to the image distortions made by the primitive plastic lens.  The Holga has only two apertures and minimal focus control. There is no way to look through the lens and the viewfinder is not entirely accurate. I do not use a light meter, a factor that has made me better acquainted with the light and how my camera exposes film accordingly.  I am forced to relinquish a certain amount of control and with that comes a new set of challenges, but also a playful freedom.  This playfulness has infected the way I work, making the experience of photographing new again.  Shooting has become exploring. With the Holga, there is room for something unexpected to happen. Sometimes my Holga records what I see and how I feel about a scene; other times it captures something else entirely and therein lies the magic. I have learned to accept mishaps gracefully and celebrate the unintended.

When I shoot digitally, the camera instantly previews the last picture I took.  I have traded that convenience and control for the surprise and unpredictability of shooting film with a plastic camera and also for the opportunity to work in the darkroom.  I enjoy the entire darkroom routine, from mixing the chemicals to retouching the final prints.  I prefer this very tangible approach to image making.  When printing, I spend time with my images, searching for the correct exposure, rocking the trays of chemicals and handling each print.  I like waiting for the images to appear like magic.  The same anticipation that is present when shooting has entered the darkroom with me. 

With this body of work, the method was as important as the final product.  My Holga gave me a fresh approach to shooting and a renewed sense of wonder at the photographic process.  I emerged from the darkroom with a group of images that give me courage to look for magic.