A Writing Exercise: The Camera as a Character

On days when I’m stuck, I find an old photograph from my archive and write a story about it. I’ve found that it is easiest for me to write a truth that ends in magic, which is what I did here. This entire story is true, except for the last sentence. With this piece I’ve started exploring the idea of The Camera as a character. I already know this piece will be reworked but it is a gateway- something that’s radically changing the narration of my story, and making it more exciting for me to write.

I took this self portrait during my Junior year of college. It was an assignment for my Large Format Film Photography class, a medium I fell in love with at the very sight of that fifty pound view camera, a monster on rails. Something about the weight of the process felt right- felt like something I had done before. My hands moved swiftly, connecting the base to the tripod, and I remember grinning every time the bellows creaked as I opened them, a long forgotten sigh, waiting to exhale. I remember waking to the most beautiful fog this day, and I miraculously had time between my morning and evening classes to drive myself to Valley Green Park on the outskirts of the city to shoot. I pre loaded the film, threw on my favorite dress, and drove like mad as I watched the fog begin burning off as midday inched forward. I had been in such a rush to catch the last of the fading fog that it was only when I was calf deep into the water that I realized I needed someone to help me click the shutter. Just as I began scolding myself in my head, I heard a rustle behind the dark cloth. This photograph was taken the moment I turned back to see who was there, but all I heard was a click, then silence.