Photography

Photography has long been a source of inspiration for Norman's creative work and the way he views the world around him. His photography is black and white, hand-developed and hand-printed, allowing him to capture the richness and depth that are unique to film.

Technically, these photos were taken on 35 mm black and white film, mainly Kodak Tri-X, ISO 400 then hand developed in a darkroom. The film was very fluid in terms of “pushing” it to be more light sensitive with a grainy quality; or pulling it to take in less light but to have higher grain density. From there, the negatives were placed on enlarging plates, adjusted with contrast filters, and projected onto photographic papers.

Even after projecting the image onto photo paper, the photographer could make various decisions on how long to bathe each photo into each developing chemical. The whole photo development process had a wide lattitude of touch-and-feel” variables to allow a unique expression of a photo’s character and quality.

Drawn to photojournalism and visual storytelling, Norman approaches photography as a way to tell stories over time, often through a series of images. He is especially captivated by candid moments, showing people interacting with one another or the world around them. Much like with architecture, photography is another creative medium through which Norman explores how environments shape experience, movement, and human connection. He enjoys that photography allows him to see life differently and influence the emotional intensity of a scene.