Nineteen Percent Grey — oliviamridge

Nineteen Percent Grey

When we expose a new image, our camera’s light meter calibrates the exposure based off a reading of the average of light and dark values – 18% grey. 18% grey is a neutral midtone; exposing to this average creates a balance between shadows and highlights in most scenes. In this show, four Darkroom II students show their work in Nineteen Percent Grey. A slight deviation from the camera’s mechanical mean would record more light in the scene; 19% grey implies an overexposure. This 1% difference represents the unpredictable and imperceptible subjectivity within the act of looking. This exhibition invites us to examine how we perceive and interact with the world, both on the surface and in its deeper layers.

Holding onto the possibilities of magic, Kaylee Pickup explores the unsettling realm of the strange, eerie, and whimsical. Exploring the intersections between the uncanny and the familiar, hers is a dreamlike world where the boundaries between the real and the imagined blur, leaving us questioning the nature of what we see.

Attempting the impossible, Nate Bingier’s meta-experiments materialize light as its own subject. Projecting light through layers of analog objects and films, he considers the texture of light itself and the imperceptible particles that create it. Using camera-less techniques of light interacting with different surfaces, Nate’s analog explorations in the darkroom interrogate the invisible forces that shape our sensory perceptions.

Revealing the intricate dance of daily journeys through public transportation systems, Liza Smith captures the essence of urban commuting. Her series of shoes, street crossings, and railways are an expansive look at transit of all forms. Joining the flow of commuter movement, Liza intercepts each moment to create a record of these fleeting and urgent rhythms.

Jake Eskridge’s portraiture captures the casual beauty in everyday moments. Through his “fly on the wall” approach, Jake embraces the quiet, unspoken rhythm of rural life, subtly focusing on the intimate intersections of the people around him. His images serve as a meditation on life’s passing moments, offering a photograph as a gesture of empathy and care.

The proposition of Nineteen Percent Grey is a disturbance in the balance between light and dark. Challenging the binary of the camera’s-imposed systemization of light, these artists throw us into their experimental and frantic recording of light over two semesters in the darkroom. Too much light, or an overexposure, can be blinding, obscuring any predicable or single interpretation of their images. Through their diverse practices—whether it be the quiet observation of daily movements, the experimental inquiry of light, or the creation of worlds both eerie and sublime—they invite us to look more closely, to question what we think we know, and to consider how light, in its many forms, shapes our understanding of reality. As their instructor, I am proud to present these works that reflect not only their hard work in the darkroom these last two semesters, but also their collective commitment to experimenting with the medium of photography.

An Exhibition by Darkroom Photography II students of McHenry County College

Kaylee Pickup

“In my work, I delve into the hidden truths of my emotions, bringing to light dark feelings that linger beneath the surface. Through soft focus and a shadowed palette, I am interested in capturing ambiguous landscapes to reflect the nuances of my inner world. My work often explores the strange, whimsical, magical, and eerie. By embracing low light and soft edges, I aim to create visual narratives that invites people to join me for a drink of darker worlds and lost media. My style reflects what I think stands out to me in the outer world. It catches my eye and pulls me in. These things call, they call to me, and they’re beautiful. Full of life and feeling, it’s practically magic.”

Nate Bingier

“I’m interested in light as an object. In my work, I interpret the photon as a particle, for which grain is a convincing yet deceptively indirect metaphor. This deception, inherent to the analog process, is familiar to me in my work with analog electronics and sound. I’m interested in the photo as an object as well, an object defined by its capture of light: something which, like sound, possesses the qualities of frequency and amplitude, yet, unlike sound, can be captured in a non-time based format. I’m also drawn to the process of double or multiple exposure, which allows me to layer instances of captured light much like how I layer instances of captured sound in my audio work. The spirit of experimentation in my audio work leaks into my darkroom process as I explore cameraless photos using found objects in place of negatives, or lay filters directly on my prints to create zones of differing textures. Of utmost importance to me however, is the physical and material nature of the process. The darkroom is an instrument, the song I play is my print.”

Liza Smith
Portrait of a Commuter
“Through my project, I capture the essence of urban commuting across various modes of public transportation, from car journeys to Metra, CTA trains, buses, light rail, and walking through Denver and Chicago. My work showcases the quiet sense of purpose, the dynamic flow, fleeting emotions, and shared human experiences as the daily routine unfolds from one public space to another.

Each photograph tells a unique story of daily commutes during rush hour. Whether it’s someone rushing to work in a tailored suit on a public scooter or a person on a moped with a dog in matching hot pink goggles, I document the myriad ways people navigate their daily lives. This includes traditional portraiture and photographing commuters’ shoes, which tell their own stories about who the commuters are and the journeys they undertake day in and day out.

The motivation behind my photography lies in creating visual narratives that connect us to the seemingly mundane, yet profoundly human, moments of our daily commutes. These images serve as a reminder of our shared humanity and the common threads that bind us together, highlighting the beauty and diversity of urban life.”

Jake Eskridge

“As a photographer, I like to capture the beauty and uniqueness of people. Photographing both strangers, family, and friends, I am interested in candid moments, vulnerability, and catching people in their element doing things they love. I am drawn to the physicality and hands-on process of printing in the darkroom. My work seeks to reveal the emotional depth and authenticity of human experience, embracing the imperfections that make each person and moment unique.”