Ashley Humason's Exploration of the Ominous with Lomography Redscale

Ashley Humason is a Massachusetts-based analog photographer who has an interest in abandoned places and creative portraiture. She describes her work's goal as to "capture the essence of unique and forgotten spaces and to breathe new life into them despite decay." Perfectly tying into this theme, Ashley shares some of her eerie Lomography Redscale XR 120 ISO 50–200 shots with us as well as her process in shooting lonely spaces.

Hi Ashley, welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you start off by telling us a bit about yourself and your work?

Thank you so much for having me! I am a self-taught analogue photographer and enthusiast from New Bedford, Massachusetts. In the years since picking up a camera, it has offered me an artistic outlet for self expression that I’m truly grateful for.

Can you tell us about what you have shot with the Lomography Redscale film ?

Generally, a bulk of my portraiture of self and others explores themes of loss, abandonment, mortality and solidarity. Lomography Redscale has proven to be a favorite for adding emphasis to some of these scenes.

How did the film stock support your vision for the series?

The deep reds paired with vibrant yellows provides a contrast that offers an ominous feel. The mild monochrome mood of the stock can also offer a sense of nostalgia for viewers, such as that of black and white or sepia, but with an added warmth.

Do you have a favorite shot in the series?

As difficult as it is for me to pick favorites, I am very fond of the double exposure of my friend Colleen in her silhouette titled “On My Mind”. I anticipate this growing into a separate series in time. Outside of the photograph itself, the memory of the day is one I hold dear. Colleen and I always enjoy creating together; we stayed well past sunset, shooting and enjoying the summer day in Newport.

A lot of your photos have very distinct settings that compliment your overall style — how do you choose your locations to shoot?

My first love of subject matter prominently featured abandoned buildings. I continue to research and explore vacant properties, but as I’ve grown to incorporate portraiture into my photographs in recent years, I enjoy placing humans into scenes I may have previously photographed by themselves.

Can you walk us through your process of shooting?

Initially it is just that: a walk through. I like to gain familiarity with a space prior to shooting. I may go in with certain concepts in mind or props or poses I’d like to utilize, but I feel it is important to get to know the space first and foremost to frame each scene. This will then dictate which films I’d like to use, and how I set up each exposure. It can, at times, be a slow going process, but slowing down is one of the things I enjoy most about composing an image on film. It is an opportunity to breathe, settle into shooting and consider how I’d like the image to develop before firing the shutter.

What is your usual camera kit?

Despite its weight, the Mamiya RB67 has been my primary camera during the years I've had the pleasure of owning it. The lenses I typically travel with are the 90 mm and 50 mm. I also have multiple 120 backs which allows the versatility to switch back and forth between multiple film stocks depending on the scene. This leaves just enough room in my bag for my Sekonic lightmeter, shutter release cables, Kodak self timer for self portraits, and of course, film.

Any tips or tricks for shooting with our redscale film?

Try experimenting with the effects of giving it more or less light! This goes for any of the LomoChrome variable speed films. Within the same roll, you can achieve different degrees of effect by over- or underexposing.

Do you have any upcoming projects or shoots that you can share with us?

I am excited to be taking part in the “Make This A Double” international film swap, and eager to see the resulting double exposures from my partners and I. I also anticipate upcoming travels and collaborations with other artists around New England and the pacific northwest.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my work. Your film provides myself and fellow film photographers interesting and exciting emulsions to experiment with, and it's always such a pleasure seeing what develops from them.

If you're interested in keeping up with Ashley and her work, don't forget to check out her Instagram and website!

written by eloffreno on 2023-06-12 #gear #people #redscale #experimentation #self-exploration