Maris Locmelis

Seeing time

This is the time to look into yourself, face to face, intense and concentrated, with no way out, nowhere to hide. Be by yourself with your time, inching closer to the quintessence of your being here and now. Unafraid of seeing your naked, fragile being without protective filters or glamorous masks.

The chosen way of photography - getting as close as possible to the chosen object, almost forcing it to talk to itself during the process. In these moments, get as close as possible while the person can finally be with themselves, forgetting about the existence of time and space around them. A truly priceless and precious piece of art comes into being. This magical connection and acceptance of oneself is captured on a silver sheet.

Taking photos in the wet plate collodion technique, every artwork turns out unique, whether it be due to the specifics of the technology or the individuality of the models’ emotion. Simultaneously, this technique always captures the unknown, unpredictable element in the development process, where even identical technical compositions will turn out differently. A portrait almost has a mind of its own. Impacted by the technology, artifacts are created, enhancing the portraits’ story and form which creates more dimension. Understanding the uniqueness of every individual photo results in an intense dance between the photographer and the model.

This series of photographs have all been created in identical conditions and techniques, from similar angles, in turn connecting the works into a single entity. However, with closer inspection, the subtle differences and unique aspects of each work come to light. In every work, there's something everyone can relate to individually, connecting with the photographs on a personal level.