Laura Prieto Martín is a photographer, mainly working with analogue photography. Although currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Laura is originally from Spain. She has lived in Scotland for the last decade and feels she has found a real community within Scottish creatives.
What sparked your interest in photography?
When I was 12 years old I asked for a digital camera (it was the 2000’s baby) and my dad refused to get one until I learned what aperture and shutter speed meant, so we sat down with his old Canon Ftb and the rest is history! I joined a darkroom course run by the local council and became obsessed with experimental analogue photography. I took a double exposure on that very first roll, so I really feel it was my calling.
"I took a double exposure on that very first roll, so I really feel it was my calling"
How would you describe the creative community in Scotland?
The creative community in Scotland, especially the analogue photography community is incredibly welcoming and supportive. Scottish people are sound af and I feel like an adopted Scot after living here for ten years. I have found people are always very open to sharing their trade secrets, and a lovely bunch of people will turn up to whatever you organise, exhibitions, workshops or even a photo walk. I think people here are extremely talented and it is a shame some of that talent ends up leaving Scotland. It can be frustrating to see entire teams and crews being brought in for paid work when you could hire the local talent.
Talking falling in love with analogue with Laura Prieto Martín
What about analogue photography that makes it more unique to you than other methods?
Analogue photography is just a tool like any other, I am not an analogue purist and I do not consider an analogue photograph to be better than a digital one just because of the format (as much as I like to tease my mirrorless loving friends). But… It works for me. I like the organic way double exposures merge on film. I like the little flaws and quirks of my cameras (I have purposely left a light leak unfixed cause I like how it looks). I enjoy not having to spend hours post-processing skin tones in Photoshop and at the same time spending hours in the darkroom making prints. I like to be present with the subject when I shoot. I love Gulabi. I hate how much money I spend and not bulk buying ColorPlus when it was £1 in Poundland. I do think secretly I enjoy the craft, the way you can’t really cheat the technical side of it and feeling part of a wee club with a shared secret.
You mentioned you hosted a double exposure workshop trip to Malaga, have you done anything like this before?
I hosted a double exposure workshop at Agitate (and will host another one on the 25/08) but this was different. A couple years ago Caroline Marchante organised a get together for analogue female photographers in Tuscany, where I made some amazing connections and created some wonderful memories. Aga and I wanted to replicate this feeling, making it available for people with different levels of photography experience so we rented a house in Malaga where we taught a self-portrait and double exposure workshop. It feels very different to be on the teaching side, and anytime I organise something like this, imposter syndrome hits and I feel like no one will turn up. But they did, we took some amazing shots and ate a wonderful paella.
"Anytime I organise something like this, imposter syndrome hits and I feel like no one will turn up. But they did"
Where would you like to do the next workshop?
I am moving to Australia soon, so I would love to host something there. The landscape looks amazing and for once the weather might be reliable.
What is your favourite thing about hosting workshops like these?
I have been so lucky with the people that attend the workshops, my favourite thing is fostering connections and friendships with the artists that share their work. Similarly to the European film swap I organised last year. With double exposures and analogue in general is so exciting when people get their unexpected results, I hope I never lose the feeling when I get a Gulabi email in my inbox!
How important is having a creative community with like minded others?
It is essential. I think if you were lucky enough to attend university you got used to 4 years of constant feedback, constant stimuli, and a community of people that don't stop creating. It is harder to find that once you leave. A lot of my work can be introspective, especially the self portraits. But I believe photography is to be shared in physical form. Often I feel we need a witness to our lives and to be seen, maybe that is why community is so important.
What could Scotland do to increase opportunities for creatives?
Foster the incredibly talented community that lives here and prioritise us. Let the people in Scotland tell the stories about Scotland, and I mean both those local and adopted into this country. It makes absolutely no sense to bring an entire creative team from London to do a shoot in the highlands. Scotland has been historically incredibly kind with immigrants such as myself. It is baffling to see the amount of money that gets made during the festival by outside companies and how little remains for those who live in the city the whole year around.
What would you say are your main creative influences?
Movies, dreams, and other photographers. I try to read a lot too, it fosters my imagination in a way visuals don’t.
How does your inspiration make its way into your photos? Is it through subject, lighting, etc?
I think I am quite introspective in the way I work, a lot is trial and error and not always a preconceived idea or setup. But I am very chatty so I try to pay attention to my subjects and listen to what they need or feel at the time. I often find out the best images were not the ones I had in my head but the ones that show themselves when working with the subject in the space. For me it is important to be present, see the light and the way it interacts with people. I am very familiar with my cameras and sometimes I ignore the light metre. I often do my metering for the highlights because I am not a big fan of the Portra 400 +1 step look.
Has your photography style gone through any major changes, if so what contributed to them?
I believe the use of artificial light due to living in Scotland has been a major change in my style. I have always been interested in people (I struggle without a subject) and colour (I struggle in black and white), so it can be quite frustrating to work with the weather here as well as the dark winter months. Because of this, during the pandemic I started experimenting more with flash gels and LEDs. This has been a huge advantage to the way I can control the light and the way I work, but golden hour is always my favourite.
If you could shoot content for any artist/publication etc. who/what, what would it be?
Something crazy like a Frank Ocean cover, because his visuals are always impeccable and I love the Wolfgang Tillmans cover for Blond. My dream is to have a job where I get paid to travel. My favourite commissions are always those where people have approached me for the work I do and are happy for me to experiment, so I do not have to adapt or ‘tone it down’. I really appreciate when people understand the vision and are happy to cover the cost of film.
What has been a standout memory for 2024 so far?
Visually, I watched Mandy for the first time and loved it. Professionally, the Kimono shoot for V&A Dundee with Form Digital and Flux Video and assisting Izzy Leach for the Dior campaign. Personally, I just saw my best friend play live at Sonorama in Spain and that was crazy!
Do you have anything in the works that you’re excited for?
I am moving to Australia and I am planning to host a wee exhibition in Edinburgh as a farewell to the city that embraced me for 10 years.
Quick Fire Questions
Who is your favourite artist/photographer?
Philip Lorca DiCorcia, for his series Hustlers.
How do you put your stamp on your work and life in general?
By making mistakes seem intentional and embracing the wee flaws.
What has been your album of the ‘summer’?
Check out Laura's work
A big thank you to Laura for letting me ask her almost everything about film photography! Keep an eye out on Laura's socials for news about her farewell exhibit 🐨🇦🇺
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