27 Frames

Patrick Dougherty

We sent 27 single use cameras out to some of our favorite photographers, they shot stuff with it, then mailed it back to us. We developed the film and are sharing the results with you (and the photographers) now. In this instant, digital age, we want to pay homage to a snapshot photo process we grew up with ourselves — waiting for the film to develop and being surprised by the results. These 27 Frames belong to Patrick Dougherty. I have known Pat since I was 3 years old. It’s a pretty rare thing in this world to remain friends with someone for that long and stay in close contact on a regular basis. Over the years, I have been amazed to see Pat’s photography progress and style become more refined. Though the years, he has not lost his youthful eye though and his work still has that touch of youth in quiet revolt.

Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself.

Patrick Dougherty, photographer based in Brooklyn, NY

How did you first get into photography?

I had a photography teacher in high school who told me I had a good eye. I was young and searching for my “thing”, so I ran with it.

Film or digital?

Both. I shoot a lot of film, and for about five years now, it has been Ilford HP5 on a ’76 Nikkormat with a Zeiss 28mm lens. It’s an exercise I learned from a photographer I used to assist: start an ongoing series in which you set strict limits for yourself. Those limits may be that you stick to a single city block, or you only shoot at a certain time of day. I chose to limit myself technically. That advice was a lifesaver for me. I wasn’t really shooting anything at the time, and it totally restored in me a motivation to go out and shoot.

When was the last time you used a single use (disposable) camera?

A few summers ago at a friend’s wedding. I charged up the flash and took a sweet dance floor dick pic for the happy couple.

Where / What did you decide to shoot with your camera for this project?

I received my camera right before my annual dudes’ snowboard trip to Aspen, CO. So my roll is scenes from a ski resort.

Did you have any interesting experiences along the way?

Great to have a small, light, battery free camera in your pocket.

What was the biggest challenge (if any) you had with the project?

The viewfinder was tough. Small, and I forgot to compensate for the fact that I wasn’t looking through the lens.

What was your favorite image from the roll?

Probably the one of the picnic benches.

Check out more of Pat’s work here:

PATRICK DOUGHERTY

Special thanks to Dexter’s Camera in Ventura for developing all of the film for the 27 Framesproject. If you are a photographer who loves film and have never visited their shop, go there now, they’re the best.

Matt Titone

A goofy-footed graphic designer who hails from the first state, Delaware. After attending Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL then graduating from SCAD in Savannah, GA with a BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration, Matt moved to NYC and found work as a freelance designer and art director. In 2006 he moved west to Venice, CA where he co-founded ITAL/C Studio and now resides a bit further north in Oxnard.

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