Member Spotlight: Kimber DeVaney

We are so excited to be resuming our CMC Member Profile interviews. First up for 2024 is member Kimber.

Tell us about yourself and your photography journey.

Hello! My name is Kimber DeVaney, I am a Visual Artist, photography is my primary medium. I grew up in the tri-state area and moved to Brooklyn after living on the west coast for almost 10 years. My art is inspired by nature, science, time, and memory. My process involves working with double exposures on 35mm film, layering light, texture, and pattern to express emotive spaces. This technique allows for a sense of spontaneity and surprise, as I am free to shoot without overthinking, allowing the overlapping of images to merge organically and create their own unique patterns and structures. I invite viewers to decipher hidden stories and decode the layers of meaning embedded within.

For me, film photography is a form of magic that captures the true essence. It offers a playful element that embraces the unexpected. I use my camera as my artistic tool striving to push the boundaries of visual communication, continuously seeking new ways to challenge traditional norms and create a dialogue that transcends the limits of perception.

Prior to meeting Camera of the Month Club’s founder, Erica Reade at one of her Mirror Workshops and later becoming a CMC member; I found a significant source of support on Instagram. One individual in particular, Peter Kuralt, an exceptionally skilled experimental photographer and philosopher from Slovenia. Despite his aversion to the platform, he has remained a steadfast advocate for my work, and our bond has grown into one of my most cherished friendships. Peter's belief in my abilities inspired me and provided the motivation and confidence I needed to trust myself as an artist.

My work is fine art, experimental photography. My two most recent series are double exposures and souped film (which are also double exposures with an added step).The Double Exposure Series (2023) is inspired by quantum physics, exploring the concept of stacked time, where every moment is interconnected and influences the others. By presenting multiple realities simultaneously, I invite viewers to ponder the nature of existence and the possibilities that lie beyond our traditional understanding of time. I hope to transport viewers to a realm where past, present, and future converge, encouraging them to question the boundaries of reality.

My Souped Film Series (2022) delves into the deconstructive processes that parallel the transformations and traumas we experience as humans. I explore this concept by subjecting images shot on film to a boiling process while still in the film canister, reducing them to mere remnants of their former selves. Through this intense disruption of the emulsion, the images are pushed to their limits, revealing what endured and resettling into a transformed state. In the aftermath, superficial layers are stripped away, allowing the pure essence of each image to be unveiled.

In essence, these works are a reflection of the ever-changing nature of existence, mirroring the transformations we undergo as individuals. Through the deconstruction and fusion of images, I aim to explore the depths of human experience and invite viewers to contemplate the hidden meanings beneath the surface.”

What is your favorite part of the “souping” process?
My souped film images are like a science experiment infused with love. It is the results that truly excite me, the actual process of souping film, not so much. There is some creativity involved in choosing the additives I wish to use. With this, I generally adopt a minimalist approach. I avoid overthinking what ingredients to add, something not adding anything at all to the boiling water.

*For more information about the film soup process, check out this article: 7 Film Soap Tips to Get Better Results from @itsamyliz from Film Lab 135 (my photo lab of choice.

Tell us a little about how you got started with photography.

Growing up photography was a hobby for both my aunt and uncle; my aunt shot Kodak disposable cameras, my uncle a Canon A-1, which is, interestingly enough, the same model camera I use today.

As a high school junior, I took my first black and white photography class at Pratt Institute at the historic Puck building located in SoHo, Manhattan. Commuting from New Jersey, I would explore the city with my camera trying my best to get lost, yet almost always ending up at Washington Square Park. The darkroom became my sanctuary, where the tactile process of developing prints fascinated me. Years later, I now work just one block away from where it all started, still captivated by the magic of photography.

You started shooting film at a young age, do you ever shoot digital?

I rarely shoot digitally, when I do, I enjoy experimenting with "intentional camera motion" (ICM), which is exactly what it sounds like. By deliberately distorting and manipulating reality, I blend external and internal environments. I aim to reveal hidden emotions and capture the unseen energies within moments. This involves intuitive movements; a subconscious dance, channeling energies and emotions to create an atmosphere that uncovers the unseen. Photography is fun.

Can you share 3-5 images of your favorite photos or a series? Please give us some context about the photos or series.

Nature is the subject of all of these shots.

1.“Somewhere Tonight” 2023 (souped film) 2. “Crimson Glow” 2022 (souped film) 3. “Sweet Nothings” 2021 (double exposure) 4.”Tango Pirate” 2023 (souped film) 5. “Butterfly Kisses” 2022 (intentional camera motion on film)

IG: @mybegonia

Website: kimberdevaney.com

#kimberdevaney

Yours Truly,

Kimber Xo