I took a darkroom photography class in high school where I learned how to shoot manually, develop and print my own photographs. I also learned all the parts of a camera, the old techniques to manipulate photos, like dodging and burning, and how to shoot with or without a camera meter. I go back to these basics with “Recovery” as a reaction to the photography boom that I think is tied with social media. I feel a sense of care when I shoot manually—I give special attention to each photograph. I like how “Recovery” couldn’t have been taken with the latest iPhone or that it would’ve been a different series if I shot it with automatic settings. Depending on how I manipulate the focus, aperture, shutter speed or light, I choose what the viewer sees in the same way that an author chooses what their readers get to see. I choose my own truth.
Mercedez Hart | Recovery Series 