Zine Collection: "Neighborhoods" by Patti Simpson
The shutter snaps. The camera wheezes as film advances. This process brings Patti Simpson to a focused state of mind as she ambles the neighborhood streets of Denton. Simpson loves film photography, and she loves Denton. Now she's released her first zine, Neighborhoods, which is a result of her exploratory walks through town.
photo courtesy of Patti Simpson
The images presented are scenes that capture her eye, and her snaps maintain a visually pleasing form. The entire series is an intimate reflection on how Denton looks now, and should have a historical significance as the zine is viewed years from now. "Denton is my hometown. I've been here since the 70's. This is home for me," says Simpson. All film is processed by Simpson herself in a bathroom of her house.
She scans each negative, but refrains from editing her photos. The images printed by Orbit Press were submitted in raw form, and they're a testament to the sharp eye of the photographer.
The Denton community itself sustains a group of photographers passionate about working with film as evidenced by recent events such as PolaCon Fest. Simpson says, "I love shooting film, so I don't want it to die out. I think, oh good with more people maybe we can keep it going!"
Simpson's moment of awakening for street and nature photography occurred about a year ago. Before then she had taken some photography courses in college, and she practiced studio portraiture. An Instagram account named @filmphotographic inspired her to develop her current style. Not only did she find an account that served up wonderful pictures, but with Film Photographic there is a kind and helpful community to encourage budding shutterbugs.
After seeing her first zine to completion, she is eager to get more done. She is constantly taking photos whether by herself or on trips with her husband David, who is also a skilled photographer. "We're both artists at heart," says Simpson. Many of their cameras have been thrift store finds. People are fond of keeping coffee table books with a collection of fantastic photography or artwork. Perhaps Denton can be a city where people keep coffee table zines.
Neighborhoods consists of 17 images on 16 pages and is available for $3. Click here to request a zine.
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Header image by Jason Lee