Adam Roberts appreciates the punk side of alt processing
When Adam Roberts found himself in a depression, he discovered photography and it proved therapeutic. He now develops at home and experiments with all kinds of alternative and progressive processes and even shot the last photo on a Batman camera on expired t-max and developed it in Schlitz Malt Liquor.
See more of Adam's work on instagram at @icantstandpickles
ALTER/ANALOG: What inspires you?
AR: I only started shooting film a couple years ago. I was falling in a bad depression after my marriage fell apart and needed a hobby to get me out of the house and get me doing things, being creative. Started film photography and have loved it ever since.
ALTER/ANALOG: What is it about film as a medium that draws you to it?
AR: I love film because I love having a physical copy of what I created. I do my own developing and printing, and just love holding my negatives or prints in my hands, like, "I made this." Its a great feeling.
When I started developing color film at home, I instantly started souping film. I was grabbing anything I could find at home, from the kitchen, the bathroom, laundry room, I loved it, was curious to see how'd it come out. I've just always been drawn to how "not pretty" it looks. I love things grungy and messed up, just the punk rock side of me, I love doing things how I'm not supposed to do them. After a while of making prints, I started making chemigrams with my chemicals that were going bad, and found it incredibly fun. I just love how they come out as abstract Rorschach tests.
ALTER/ANALOG: What cameras do you shoot with?
AR: I have a ton of cameras, always finding some old junky camera at a flea market and seeing what I can make from it. My current favorites are my Russian half frame cameras, my Agat 18 and Chaika II.
ALTER/ANALOG: Do you have a favorite alternative process?
AR: I just recently got into caffenol and wineol, using red wine as the developer. I did a test roll and loved it. Plus I get to drink the left over wine when I'm done, ha. I have a few rolls I shot in my pinhole camera that I'm going to develop this weekend in wine, should be fun.