There seems to be a parallel between the homemade nature of our own lives and the representations we make of them using pinhole cameras: the results are very individual; unexpected - and often beautifully surprising - accidents of light and perspective frequently make my input relatively unimportant.

I use paper negatives almost exclusively and have grown to love their changeability and frequently wonderful textural quality. The long exposures required somehow grace the images with a powerful sense of calm. When photographing in this way I like the feeling of being out of control and the transcendental, meditative experience of forced slowness and unpredictability.

I like to work in themes or series. I find that the long waiting times involved when making exposures on paper allow me to reflect on what I am doing and how it relates to other images made or imagined previously.

More of my work can be seen on my website and in my blog at www.marktweedie.co.uk

Mark Tweedie
United Kingdom