Slow photography

AT HÆRVEJEN

In 2015 I began hiking along the ancient Danish road, Hærvejen. Since then I haven’t been able to stop. I have now walked over 1.000 kilometers, revisiting the old cattle trail and pilgrim route time after time. To begin with I brought a disposable camera. The idea was to take one picture a day counter to the rapid production of digital photography. I had a hard time confining myself to this rule. The film was used in three days. Not until I built my own camera, which allows me to load only one piece of photographic paper at a time, and doing so in a portable lightproof bag, did I manage to slow down and take time to consider every motif. 

The whole process is extremely slow. I do long exposures - up to 15 minutes a picture. Afterwards the photographs are developed in a homemade solution made from an extract of mint, sodium carbonate and vitamin C.

Although I have now taken hundreds of pictures, I still find it exciting when the negative reveals itself in the darkness. I guess it's a kind of childish joy like when a magic trick is being performed – even though I did the trick myself.

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