194 ☼ When Seeing Is Enough (oh and Kant)
+ new workshop + new photo walk
Dear friends,
This week’s issue is about a way of seeing that doesn’t ask for anything in return. It’s also about a German philosopher I never thought I’d quote in a newsletter about photography. But here we are!
To break up the text, I’m sharing a few of my favorite analog portraits from The Best Medicine that didn’t make it into the zine. All shot on my Hasselblad 500cm. Also, very exciting: Dutch newspaper Het Parool published a generous two-page feature on the project, see below and read it here.
Special note: We’ve just lowered the shipping costs for the zine. A mistake caused the first few orders to be overcharged. Apologies, those folks will see partial refunds come in this week. Shipping & handling went down by about 25%. There are only 38 copies left. If you’d like one, order it here.
Announcements — New Workshop + AMS Photowalk
NEW PROCESS IN-PERSON WORKSHOP — I'm leading this year’s first in-person Process workshop on Saturday, June 28, at FotoFestival Naarden, where I’ll also debut my first solo show in the Netherlands.
The workshop is called From Idea to Finished Project, and it’s designed for aspiring and working photographers who want help finding direction, building a clear plan, and taking their next steps with confidence. It’s an intensive 2.5-hour session, limited to just six participants to keep it focused and personal.
By the end, you’ll walk away with clarity about your project or direction, a sense of momentum, and practical next steps to move it forward. Tickets are €150, with a €25 discount for Process readers and €50 off for Process Photo Club members.
To sign up go here and scroll down to my name. Get in touch with any questions.PROCESS x ACA PHOTOWALK + MOVIE SCREENING — The first Process Photowalk of 2025 is happening, on Sunday July 6th, in partnership with Analog Club Amsterdam. We’ll wrap up the walk at Lab 111 for a special screening of:
Or Something (Dutch premiere) — A feature film about a long walk, written by and starring Kareem Rahma from viral series Subway Takes and Mary Neely.
Laundromat (world premiere) — A short film shot on film (I’m in it!).
Q&A with Laundromat writer/director Joseph Frank on what goes into making short films independently. Ask him anything!
55 spots only. RSVP here now.
When Seeing Is Enough
This weekend, I find myself in a stunning little coastal town in France for a friend’s wedding. It’s the kind of place photographers dream about with its perfect afternoon light and gorgeous color everywhere. And I didn’t bring a real camera. On purpose.
It’s a very short trip, and I want to be fully present with the place and the people I love. I knew that if I had my usual gear with me, I wouldn’t be able to help myself. I’d slip into shooting mode and start working, because for many of us, once the camera’s in hand, it’s hard not to use it.
Instead, for the past two days I just… looked and admired and noticed. I paid attention. Not to make anything. Just to feel what it was like to be there. I haven’t seen this many stars in the sky in years.
I thought about all this because it reminded me of something that happened a few week ago. I was early for a corporate shoot and went for a morning walk after dropping off my gear at the location. There was a little park in between some corporate offices, nothing special, just two trees, a bench, and the morning light bouncing off the glass of the buildings.
For a second I thought, this could be a photo. But I didn’t take one. I left my camera behind after all, and my phone is pretty old and not that great at taking pictures. So, I just stood there, looking.
No framing and no pressure to create, just light, shape, and a passing feeling I couldn’t explain.
Later that night, flipping through an old notebook, I came across a line I’d underlined years ago. It was from a philosophy book I read ages ago, but somehow it fit the moment exactly.
What Kant Can Teach Us About Not Capturing Everything
In The Critique of Judgment, the philosopher Immanuel Kant makes a distinction between the kind of attention that’s about utility, or how useful or productive something is, and the kind that’s purely about being with something, without needing to define or use it.
He called it “disinterested pleasure.” To put it simply: it’s the kind of appreciation where we aren’t trying to get anything out of the moment. No agenda. No purpose. Just a quiet yes to what’s in front of us.
That idea landed hard. Because most of us who make things, especially with cameras, have been taught to chase and to capture. To do something with the beauty we notice. But there’s a different kind of seeing that’s just as valuable: when we let the moment exist without turning it into content or proof. Oooooh this is hard for me to do, but it feels quite good when I get past that initial neurotic tendency to capture. To just be.
Sometimes, the best attention is the kind that doesn’t ask for anything in return. I have really enjoyed our mini trip to the French coast, with no photos to show for it but a desire to return and a more clear mind about what I would photograph.
Try This: The 15-Minute Walk Without Wanting
This week, take a short walk. No phone. No camera. No podcast. No plan.
The only goal is to look at what’s around you. Really look. Let something stop you. Let yourself feel that quiet little pull. Don’t document it. Don’t even name it. Just notice, and keep moving.
You might find that when you do pick up your camera again, your eye has changed. Less pressure. More presence.
Because sometimes the work isn’t about making an image. It’s about learning to see without needing to.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this issue, I’d love for you to share it with a friend.
Let’s keep shooting, learning, and sharing together—one messy, human step at a time.
Warmly,
Wesley
📷 What I Used This Week
People often ask what I’m using and here’s this week’s setup:
Camera: Canon EOS R5 and the Canon RF 24-70 mm f/2.8 L IS USM. Hasselblad 500cm. All zine images from The Best Medicine were shot on the Fujifilm GFX 100S with a Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR.
Fim Stock: Kodak Tri-X
Camera Bag: Gura Gear recently sent me one of their camera bags, without asking for anything in return, and I’ve genuinely fallen for it. I hadn’t heard of the brand before, so maybe you haven’t either. Their Kiboko 2.0 22L+ has fully replaced my old go-to. It’s light, fits a ton, opens with a smart double-flap system, and feels incredibly well built. Lots of thoughtful design details too. They’re offering Process readers 20% off this and other bags until May 31 with code MAY20 at GuraGear.com.
This issue is supported by MPB.com — my go-to for buying, selling, or trading used photo and video gear. Everything comes with a 12-month warranty, and their support helps keep Process going.
Lab: My film is processed by Carmencita Film Lab. I trust them fully for both their work and their humanity. Use code "PROCESS" for a free upgrade on your next order.
Next Week
What goes into preparing for my upcoming exhibition, including printing, framing, image selection, writing, and more! Plus a photo book giveaway!
Support Process & Elevate Your Photography
If these Sunday issues give you something—energy, motivation, a new way of seeing—you can support Process by picking up a book or joining the Process Photo Club.
Process Workbook Volume One & Two: Creative prompts and assignments designed to get you out of your head and into action with your camera.
€8.99 each (free for Process Photo Club members)
NOTICE Journal, Volume One: A fresh perspective on beauty and rebirth, shot in Amsterdam.
€40 (or €20 for Process Photo Club members)
📚 Order here and you help keep Process accessible to all.
🗃️ Browse the Process Archives.
📜 Read the Process Manifesto.
📷 Add yourself to the Process Photo Assistant Database
🚧 Currently Working On1
Currently Working On / Project Updates (r = release date)
Process Redesign — Second design meeting w/ Maxwell next week (r: Jul)
NJV1 Exhibition — The work has been framed! (r: June 13)
Process Workbook, Vol. 3 — Writing assignments (r: Jul)
Creatives In/AMS — Pitch mode for sponsors (r: Sept)
NOTICE Journal, Volume Two — Developing concept
25 in 2025 — Set up master document, locked in shoot dates (r: Nov 7)
A bit early, huh? It's 4 am here 😂
It was nice having something to read at dawn
It’s so true. There are times when it’s just important (to me) to take it all in without distractions (shooting being a def distraction) — to get the full experience. Thanks for the reminder.