Rebecca Stewart - July 2005

Intiumus - Etymology

 From Proto-Indo-European *h₁éntm̥mos (“innermost”), from *h₁én, the root of in, intus inter. Formally the superlative of interior (but lacking the positive degree) and parallel to ultimus, extimus, citimus, postumus, dextimus, sinistimus. Wikipedia

I believe it is human nature to associate words, moments and thoughts with what might be seen by some as disparate.

A couple of days ago I was comparing and contrasting what it was like to be in my Kerrisdale darkroom and what it is like now in my easy-to-breath Kitsilano oficina. Central to this comparison is the double concept digital/film.

In that former darkroom I might print a lovely photograph of my  Rosemary. I would project it on photographic paper after having it enlarged to my specifications and managed the contrast and the shadow detail. But I was looking at a negative image. It wasn’t until the image (a positive one) emerged in the developer that I was able to discern her features.

I remember how all that changed in 2005 when I took some portraits of my eldest granddaughter Rebecca in my studioshot b+w film. I used the photograph in an opening at the Patrich Gallery on Granville. I colourized it to red with my Photoshop and had Grant Simmons print it very large. Before he printed it, I opened the negative in my computer after scanning it and with lots of magnification I removed little pimples, etc. I was suddenly aware that I was looking at a person in a way that few ever do.

Of course the concept of intimacy for me as a portrait photographer is that when I succeed in my venture the resulting portrait is something of a gaze into a person’s soul.

I am surrounded by portraits of my family throughout my house. I believe that I live an intimacy that is rare in this world of selfies.