151 ☼ The Power of Solo Photo Walks

new medium format Hasselblad work shot in Finland!

Dear friends,

In this week's letter, a look at the twenty-one rolls of medium format work I shot in Finland during my recent artist residency, plus my thoughts on not knowing where work will end up before you make it.

Also, a major THANK YOU to everyone who joined the new Process Photo Club, which I launched last week. Your support is energizing and I’m so excited to deliver some amazing work and huge perks to you. For example…the upcoming members-only Process Work Book is currently in the design phase and looking gorgeous! Read more about the perks of the membership here and sign up today. <3

---

The Power of Solo Photo Walks

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to be an artist in residence at Field Studies in Kontiolahti, Finland. It was my first-ever artist residency, and the experience was amazing, leaving a big desire to apply for more artist residencies in the future.

Kontiolahti, a quiet area in eastern Finland, was our home for a week. Even in late March, it was blanketed in a meter of snow, creating the perfect setting for a new and unique body of work.

My main camera for this trip was my father’s old Hasselblad 500cm. With it in hand, I went out into the snowy wilderness around the Meteorite House, where we stayed (see above). These solitary walks, at times reaching neighboring towns within a 1.5-hour radius, became the heart of my creative process.

While I was exploring and capturing the quiet beauty of the landscape, Nastya stayed behind in the cabin testing recipes for her work as a chef. Our hosts, Ulla and Jonathan, who run the artist residency, were incredibly welcoming, and I had the pleasure of photographing them with their cute dog, Piki.

This dedicated week of making only personal work and no client work was a true blessing, allowing me to immerse myself fully in my photography. This experience mirrored the working method for my 2021 book, "NOTICE," as well as my upcoming book, "NOTICE Journal Volume One." It’s my thing.

There is something special about these moments of quiet solitude that fire up my creativity. Walking through the snow with my Hasselblad, I found myself completely in the moment, experiencing the rarity of a fully quiet and focused mind. The fact that my camera used to belong to my father, added an extra layer of meaning to the work.

As you may remember from Process 136, I also shot a significant amount of work on the Fuji X-Pro3. The analog and digital sides of my work came together beautifully during this residency, each capturing different facets of the Finnish landscape.

What Comes First? The Idea Or The Work?

Sometimes, people ask if I know the purpose of my work before or during the time I'm creating it. Will it become a book? Is there a theme? Most of the time, the answer is: I don’t know yet. There are projects where I have a clear vision from the start, which helps me build a framework and shoot accordingly.

But often, I shoot because I have to—it’s an impulse I can't ignore. This is especially true when I'm in beautiful, unfamiliar environments, like Finland. I knew I wanted to create work during long, quiet solo walks, but I didn't yet know where it would lead or how it would eventually reach an audience.

And I still don’t quite know. I’m currently immersed in creating "NOTICE Journal Volume One." Beyond that, I’m toying with ideas for new photo books slated for 2025 and 2026. Some of this residency’s work might find its way into these projects, or perhaps it will become a series of fine art prints. Regardless, I promise to keep you involved in every step of the journey.

Now that I’m finally done with the long process of selecting and editing both the analog and digital work, I do know one direction I will explore with this work. I am putting together a big gallery for my friend, Brie Noel Taylor, the painter I photographed in Process 117. She will use some of these images to explore an upcoming collaboration, where her paintings and my photography will come together. We don’t know yet which form it will take, but that’s part of the fun.

To give you a broader view of my residency, I’ve curated an 84-image gallery showcasing a selection from the analog body of work I created in Finland. You can take a calm and quiet look on my website, by clicking here or on the button below.

Takeaway

Thinking back to my time in Kontiolahti, I realize how these solitary walks enriched my creative practice. The quiet, the crisp winter air, and the slow pace allowed me to connect deeply with my environment and my work.

It was so cold at times that it became hard to focus the lens, but that only made me more determined to slow down and push through. Being in a new place reminded me of the power of stepping out of my usual routines and observing the new.

For those considering an artist residency, I encourage you to pursue it even though it’s generally a time-consuming act without any guarantee of success. I wrote about the application in Process 136 and will write more after I apply for a few more residencies over the next few months.

Remember that the process of applying itself can already be a positive experience because it forces us to be more clear about our creative ideas and goals. Thorough research, a strong application, and an openness to new experiences are key. Residencies can offer profound personal and artistic growth, as this one did for me. I am grateful to Ulla and Jonathan for having us and I can’t wait to see the work produced by future artists in residence at Field Studies.

---

If you enjoyed this issue, consider joining the Process Photo Club! It helps keep Process going and includes great perks, like significant discounts on books, prints, and mentor sessions. An example, you ask? A whopping €30 discount on "NOTICE" (€69 for non-members, €39 for members).

Your support makes it possible for me to dedicate myself to this work and bring you along, which I’m deeply grateful for. <3 Become a member by clicking below.

---

Next Week: Updates on the Process Work Book, and more!

Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others. <3

Wesley

---

Housekeeping

• Video News — In case you missed it, the video Luc and I made for the launch of the Pentax 17 was incredibly well-received. We just surpassed 30K views on Instagram and 2K on YouTube. Plus, my YouTube channel just hit the 1K subscriber milestone. Watch the video and subscribe here.

Here are some comments:

"This is the best review of the Pentax 17 without focusing on the camera itself."

"Great video! Finally someone focusing on the creative possibilities with this camera."

"Best shots from this new camera I've seen thus far!”

• Intern News — Two fantastic folks have joined my team last week as interns. You can check both Lydia and Mehdi out on Instagram and follow along. Also, past intern Guido is publishing his first book soon, and we got to work on it a bit during his time with me. It’s going to be great.

• Next Photo Walk — The next Process Photo Walk & Movie Screening is taking place July 21st. It was sold out many weeks ago, but I was able to add five more seats for the theater so snap those up here.

• World Wide — There are now Process readers in 139 countries around the world!

---

Gear & Tools Used

Camera: Hasselblad 500cm

Film Stocks: Ilford Delta 100 and 400, Cinestill 400D, Kodak Tri-X 400, Palm Panchromatic 100 and 400, Kodak Ektar 100, Kodak Portra 400, Kodak Tmax 400, Ilford HP5.

Shout out to MPB.com, my go-to place to buy, sell, and trade used cameras and lenses. I love their service and am a paying customer. MPB caters to over 625,000 visual storytellers and provides a 6-month warranty. Thanks for the support, MPB! <3

Lab: All my analog work is developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. They’re my favorite lab in the world. Use code “PROCESS” to get a free upgrade.

---

Can’t get enough Process? Browse the Process Archives.