REFLECTION [back]

A SUMMER AFTERNOON, 1983

MOVING AHEAD

Writing all these short introductions to contextualize the photo galleries in my site has been so far a challenge of persistence. On the other side, to mentally focus in each “portfolio”, I was obliged to make an introspective reflection. All this thought process is slow. I don´t write fast. I (re)think a lot. But it allowed me to (re)live and to look back to my work, and learn from all aspects of it. The failures, the unexplored avenues, the accomplishments. The things that I was not aware of. It is almost as preparing for a second life. When I fishish this already very long process I wish to be ready for a fresh (re)start. Or at least I will have a better (retro)perspective of my previous photographic life.

My Diana camera was a goodbye present from photographer Roy Greer, a dear friend living in Rochester, NY. He was the person who greeted me on my arrival in 1979, and we kept in touch till the last day of my permanence at RIT. He used a collection of these plastic cameras, taking advantage of their individual defects and inconsistencies. “Diana and Nikon” had just been published in 1980.

In a 1983 summer afternoon in Mindelo Beach, I decided to used mine for the first time. Being a non-threatening camera it encouraged a playful mood on the part of my family, my friends, and myself. The photography lasted a couple of hours only interrupted when I run out of film. I don´t think that mood and enthusiasm would happen with a “professional” camera.

After doing the contact print of the 120 film, I started hand-painting it, and it naturally suggested a story-strip concept.

After that day, I used that camera very seldom. But I still have it.

Now I know that “Diana” is still waiting patiently for me.

Júlio de Matos
May, 8th 2009