Adam Peditto is a Film Club Member whose work was recently featured in our Member Show Seasonal Reflections: Winter. His technique in creating double exposures is very engaging and mesmerizing so this week we decided to interview him about his process and to get to know him a bit better. Scroll down to read our conversation and see his photographs.
PL: What got you interested in film photography?
AP: Growing up, my mother was obsessed with photo albums. She spent years meticulously documenting and organizing memories into dozens of oversized ornate books. When she passed away, we still had something tangible left of her. I looked at that documentation and preservation process as something incredibly special. I quickly adapted her passion for capturing life this way. I borrowed any camera I could get my hands on until eventually, I had my own.
PL: What type of camera do you shoot with, and what kind of film do you usually use?
AP: I shoot with a Canon AE-1 and a Canon Elan II E. For color film, I like Kodak Ekar for color and Ilford Delta for black and white. Though, I’ll shoot on anything I can. I love surprises.
PL: Can you describe your process when it comes to capturing double exposures?
AP: It’s a process that can be very easy or extremely difficult depending on how you approach it. Sometimes I draw it out, mapping out the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows so that they all work in harmony. Other times I compose the two or more images in my head and just hope that it works.
PL: What would you say is challenging about creating double exposures? What is also rewarding about it?
AP: I work as a writer and director for music videos, documentaries, and short films. For those projects, nearly everything is coordinated ahead of time. There isn’t much left to chance when it comes to the visuals. Capturing fleeting moments on film, in multiple exposures, is a way to let go a bit and invite the process to surprise you. It can be incredibly rewarding when the chemicals work their magic and you see really stunning results. A lot of the time it doesn’t work, and I try to remember those missteps for next time.
PL: Many of your photos are portraits of people along with a landscape image. What drew you to create your double exposures using these specific types of scenes?
AP: I try to capture people and places that I want to remember as one. As if taking a snapshot of memories that blend together. It can be challenging or confusing to view at times, which feels appropriate.
PL: Do you plan on making more of these types of photos? If so, is there anything you want to try differently or change?
AP: I’ll always take these types of photos if I’m shooting film. As opposed to shooting digital, you really don’t know what to expect. It requires patience and vulnerability as a photographer. I’d like to expand the series by shooting on different formats with other locations and subjects.
