Adam Custins interest in photography bloomed at the young age of 15 when he obtained a small film camera shooting his friends and immediate environments. His passion quickly materialized into a job shooting fashion shows and model tests after school and in the weekends. At the age of 19 Adam left university to pursue his dreams of opening his own studio.
(The above image is part of a previous show in Auckland, titled ‘Forest, Germany, No.3’)
His commercial assignments demanded digital but his love for film and polaroid remained. This love for the physical medium of instant film, polaroids, the cameras were unlike any digital camera you could buy. This being the reason to his recent return to film over the last 5-6 years.
I prefer the simplicity in my process. No software, no computers, no cords or cables, getting in the way. Just me, natural light, a camera, lens and piece of film. It has forced me to focus on making the image, and not the technology. – Adam Custins
The group show ‘Nothing Lost’ is an exhibition part of Auckland’s Festival of Photography.Lisa Benson, Joyce Campbell, Darren Glass, Dane Mitchell and Layne Waerea are also in the exhibition. Adam is presenting two framed enlargements from the original 8×10″ Impossible Project films at A0 size. The images feature the West Coast of Auckland shot early May, titled “Muriwai no.1” and “Piha no.1”. Both limited edition works are for sale.
An area very close to Adam where he spent a lot of time especially when he began working with instant film.
I decided I would shoot at every West Coast beach I could find, and so every Sunday I would go exploring with my camera. Over time, I discovered incredible locations, and developed a deep love of the landscape and light. Now over five years later, I am visiting these locations with my large format camera, and an evolved experience shooting landscapes with this medium. There are intertwining themes of observation / characterisation in a landscape, environmental erosion coupled with the scarcity and preciouslness of the Polaroid / Instant film medium. – Adam Custins
The exhibition opening is tonight from 6-8pm at Corban Estate Arts Centre (2 Mt Lebanon Lane, Henderson).
– Caitlan Mitchell
