Eco friendly considerations are always present in the ‘thinking out what’s best’ process. I am currently a long way off ethically when considering my own contributions. Can be considered in no way a purposeful eco warrior who joins organisations. But try everything to become a true contributor to change. Awareness is key. This blog is a few musings regarding future considerations in both photography and paper use with fountain pens.
I have included lots of links in this blog because others have sought deeper analysis and have gained much more knowledge. Worth a look.
So future aims for myself for example. Currently studying the alternative processing of camera film and the process of achieving film photography on paper results. Assessing the carbon footprint scale. There are alternatives to standard developing chemical procedures. And alternatives to using film/photographic paper. Future reading will determine if use of camera film is actually a future option. But early reading regarding eco alternatives is encouraging. Looks like fun in experimentation too. Albeit in no way the same quality results from older inclusions of chemicals I used to use in my darkroom set up. I am lucky enough to still have a large amount of old photography boxed papers. Some, actually most really, way past their sell by date. So can turn the whole process into an artistic study. Also unsure of longevity of the final imagery produced. Will fading over months or years be seen? More discovery down the line.
Handmade paper is a wonderful medium of choice to have at your fingertips. Any paper really that provides ethical values. My wife’s business as ethical Whole-food suppliers to the general public as customers, and more products besides, requires a back drop of deep investigation and thought. The surrounding community are quick off the mark and provide new awareness in Worldwide changes or new findings of better options and exchange views often with herself and staff. This provides some fractious moments too depending on how far people actually go into the organic, fair trade, local produce, traveled miles from source, zero waste, etc. Reality of logical choices can indeed cause ‘give and take’ scenarios at times.
Paper? In this ‘tip tap’ fingertips or thumb ‘pad stab’ technological age of hitting and thumping keypads below screens? Paper use for tactile pleasure is priceless. Priceless, yet if environmentally friendly and supporting ethically based principles, comes at a price. For a very long time now my #1 choice has been Khadi Paper. The ability to use this cotton based, individual deckle edged style, various choice GSM weights, aesthetically pleasing muted colours and comes in both single sheets and bound sketch books or pads makes it a wonderful paper choice. You can make your own journals, picture frame small artistic results of painting or writing, make gift cards, etc. To create artistically it’s a decent product to use. It also avoids absorbency. So buckling is rare.
Journal choices are a different kettle of fish. I use them for very specific private thoughts or use them in individual themes. Never tried a bullet journal format for projects. Intention is there, but still looking at ways to present other than writing down aims and intentions. Haven’t prettied up my journals other than using words, ink and colour filling. I used to hand make all my birthday/Christmas cards/etc. by layering flotsam and jetsam together. Copper verdigris spirals, driftwood, torn papers, hessian, old as old buttons, cottons, small vintage machinery parts, advertising slogans, etc. Very touchable and rustic. Akin to bullet journal adding layers. Khadi paper can take and handle this layering format. Journal paper seemingly cannot. At my needs for inclusions anyways.
Interesting to challenge your own eco thinking ethics with how you buy paper. Or continue to explore new ideas as in using film and photography.
https://www.legami.com/en_en/sustainability.html
Please tap on each individual photograph to enlarge.
Gray Summers 