Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

Leah Kiros

A myth is defined as an exaggerated or idealized conception of a person or thing. In this digital age, most popular pictures are heavily edited with filters or physical enhancements of the people in them. Artificial intelligence can create pictures that match the exact description the user is looking for. Even iPhone cameras have automatic settings on them to alter lighting or blur skin. In a world where most images are endlessly edited, film resists illusion. It captures moments exactly as they are. Film turns myth into memory, making moments that once felt like folklore tangible.

Even with film photography’s inherent pushback against myth, the process to develop film is in itself a myth—it is considered magic, even with modern technology. The rolls of film contain light-sensitive crystals that create an invisible image. The chemical process of developing the roll makes the image visible and fixes the image to make it permanent.

The art of film is a sacred process. Today, digital photos provide instant satisfaction. After every picture, someone can look through hundreds of pictures of the same subject and choose those they approve of. Film takes the pressure off of pictures because the process of fiddling with a roll of film, developing, scanning and uploading it can take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks. The grain and colors of the film itself feel more nostalgic than a digital photo, as there is more depth to the image.

To me, film feels like a physical copy of a memory. These pictures represent places or moments in my life that felt like myths until I experienced them. For example, stepping into the Orient House after months of reading articles online before committing to Bowdoin felt like a fever dream. The joy of my evening strolls to sit and people watch by Buckingham Palace is reflected in the gold hue of images taken there. The feeling of hiking while it was actively snowing during my first real winter is expressed through the glitter reflecting off the powder. Using film to preserve authenticity, while acknowledging its mythic nature, is using a myth to fight myths.