Me taking a portrait of a kid, in the ex-Roma settlement under Gazela bridge in Belgrade. It was a couple of days before the whole camp was relocated, in an operation prepared for over two years by the local government.
I already feel nostalgia for this place, it’s people. It was really a tiny world in itself. Yes, dirty and all, but full of very very interesting people! I also feel guilt for not starting my Roma youngsters story earlier, for not just taking much more photos of the place.
Ahh…
I’ve just realised these are all real numbers! Exactly one week after I started my “Roma kids” portrait project, I ended up with 7 rolls of film and 7 “best photos”. Not to mention that 7 rolls makes 70 frames! :)
Anyway, this has been a tough week! Being there, at Roma settlements under Gazela bridge, almost every day… not an easy thing to do! Physically, mentally, financially! Matt and Sanja can tell you even better—sometimes they’ve been there a couple of times a day!
At first I had a bit of trouble working with Pentax 6x7 cm camera (borrowed from Luka), but not because it’s complicated. The whole way of seeing pictures with medium format camera and film is just different. I realized I became too spoiled with digital. Take a bunch of photos, variations of the same scene, even the identical frame (for no reason), don’t pay attention to details, contrasts—that’s not the way it works with medium format/film.
So, in a sense, this week has been all about film “rectifying” my way of working. But, it payed off, a lot! Thank you film! xoxo
Last couple of days I was trying to figure out exactly how to start that Roma-kids project I mentioned a while ago. Some conceptual issues are still bugging me, while I try to collect all the equipment I need. Not to mention their settlement under the Gazella bridge will be dislocated (read: buldozed) in next few days! I must react quickly.
I have definitely decided to go for slide film, medium format—6x7 cm (bye-bye money savings!). Apart from the kids dressed in their best outfits, I’ll try to portrait their parents too, and possibly get that “displacement” context with the different backgrounds. At first there’s bridge in the back, and all the hand-made carton “houses” (their current living space), then stuff being moved / crushed in the back (possibly with their angry/sad faces), and then the new metal containers (new, “sterile” homes).
I hope this will all work out.
Or maybe I shouldn’t tell you all this stuff? :-)
Roma kids portrait update. This girl looked rather strange, a bit frightened but still in a mood for posing. Arms crossed like that could mean ‘defense’, and looking at the environment… well, it just confirms the emotion, at least for me. The huge billboard in the background strikes me the most, almost giving that ‘red-light-district’ atmosphere.
Then I look at her ‘protecting’ her stomach…
What’s your impression?
Portrait of a boy from the Roma settlement in Belgrade. I feel like the whole setting here goes very well with his character—the lighting, his haircut, shorts and the background—creating a very positive atmosphere, which is indeed how I remember him.
Click to see all Roma Kids photos.
Another gypsy girl portrait from under the Gazela bridge in Belgrade. Different from the previous one, this girl has that ‘exotic’ look in her eyes, which is also reflected on her dress, her posture, the background and the overall purplish tone.
Portrait of a girl from Roma settlement under Gazela bridge in Belgrade. This is the first picture in series of portraits of Roma children. I hope to capture the image they have about themselves. I want to let them pose, to ask them to put on their most favorite clothes, makeup, or whatever. To give them a chance to create that image, as the opposite of me sneaking and stealing my own.
We’ll see how far this will go…
