The Grand Finale
of a collaboration. Or is it not?
“It sounds like an awesome experiment! I have never done it before, but I think it is a very good experience. Well worth doing it!”
This was the reply I received from perfectlight after I asked him if he wanted to do a film swap for a double-exposure collaboration with me.
This was a year ago.
Since then, we have swapped several rolls of film and used different kinds of cameras from 35mm to medium format.
Although, I have done film swaps some years ago before, we ran into all sorts of troubles and made a bunch of mistakes. When I got annoyed by the mistakes I made, perfectlight would always say something along the lines of “Don’t you worry, it’s all an experiment.” or “That is part of the learning process. We will do it better next time.", and “Look at the bright side: it is going to give us even more interesting photos!”
Perfectlight was such a patient and encouraging person to collaborate with. Always positive, always open to my suggestions.
After we got back the negatives from the last rolls from the lab, and talked about a date to share the results in our newsletters, I wondered if he would be up to answering a few questions about our collaboration. And of course, he said yes.
Susanne: I know this was your first time swapping films with someone to create double-exposure photographs. Back in June 2024, when I first asked if you’d be interested, what were your initial thoughts and expectations?
perfectlight: Initial thoughts: Wow! This is an awesome idea, I have to take part, too good an opportunity to be missed. Didn't know what to expect, but I knew straight away that I had to do it.
S. What surprised you most about the images that resulted from our collaboration?
P: That some of them matched. We are in different countries, we never spoke about what the subject would be, and still we have matching subjects in the same photo. It is amazing.
S: How did it feel to work with a stranger and experiment with something new, like film swapping? Do you have a favorite memory from our collaboration?
P: I have no problem working with strangers nor experimenting with new things. Now, let's be honest here: I did follow your work for a period before this collaboration, so I knew a bit about your approach to photography. At the same time, we had a few collaborations where we exchanged images and tried to match them. I knew you would be a very good and challenging teammate, as I have a deep appreciation of your work. But this, the double exposure, this was the next level. The favourite memory is the moment I’ve seen the scans for the first time, which blew my mind and filled my heart with joy.
S: Did you learn anything new about yourself as a photographer through this experience?
P: Oh, yes, a lot, but probably the most obvious is that I need to be more careful and pay more attention to details like: don't jump to take the shot, don't forget to underexpose.
S: Since you knew what I was interested in photographing, did this influence your own approach or choice of subjects in any way?
P: Yes and no. At some stage, I tried to look for the same subject, but I also thought that it is the wrong approach; the idea is to go wild, not to reach perfection.
S: You have collaborated with several other creatives as well. What advice would you give to someone interested in creative collaborations in general?
P: I love collaborations, for me, they are the perfect background for exploring creativity, so my advice will be "Go on and do it! Don't expect perfection from the start, but if you don't do it, you will regret it later.
S: You are big supporter of the photographic community here on Substack. Do you think collaborations like this can impact the photography community as a whole?
P: Of course, there's no doubt about it. Let's see this from a logical point of view: our collaboration is shared between subscribers of both parties, this will open an equal opportunity to present the work to a larger audience. On top of this, I hope it will inspire others to do the same.
S: Would you be interested in doing more film swaps in the future, either with me or with others from this community?
P: Well, suppose to be a surprise, but... it's already on!
We will be sharing more about the surprise next week! =)
Thank you, perfectlight, for collaborating with me, for being so patient with me, and for being so easy to work with. It was a great experience and a pleasure.
If you haven’t followed along in the past few months, no worries! Here are the links to the previous parts of our collaboration:
35mm double exposures in black and white - here and here.
35mm double exposure in colour - here and here.
Also, here is perfectlight’s latest post, where he shares the colour photographs from the medium format film swap. Make sure to hop over there, too!
That’s all from me this week.
Thank you so much for being here and for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter. It means a lot to me! Feel free to leave a comment – I always love hearing your thoughts.
X,
Susanne
WAYS TO SUPPORT MY MORNING MUSE
If you enjoy reading my weekly newsletter and would like to support my work, here are a few ways to help me keep going:
🪶 Like, share, or comment - it’s free and greatly appreciated
🪶 Upgrade to a paid subscription (only €5 per month)
🪶 Purchase one of my zines
🪶 Treat me to a cup of tea
Thank you so much!
 | A guest post by
|
Apart from the images I enjoyed reading the Q n A as well!! Fantastic collaboration both of you!!
Love, love, love this!! The triptych is superbe!