Alan Falzon, The Printer

Each hand-printed photograph is the final step in its photographic journey. A journey that aims to capture the mystery of the everyday.

Today’s fast-paced, social-media-driven world has created a perfection-seeking, open and public environment where privacy is becoming rare and therefore more precious. As a private person by nature, the red-lit darkroom is my escape from social scrutiny into an analogue world of intricate choices and materials. This environment allows me to use my time, thought, and senses to work with film, paper and chemicals, forming a pleasurable and intimate photographic journey.

This random collection of silver gelatin proofs was printed over several years, solely for my personal enjoyment, never intended for an exhibition or social media sharing. Although I strive to create a unique work of art, my main interest is in the process. I do not create the final ‘perfect’ print while imperfections such as dust spots and small scratches are not retouched.

“The beauty of photography is not in the final print but in the journey required to create it.”