Vito Koch

Today anyone can generate a picture in seconds. So I went the other way: a roll of 36 frames, a click I can't take back, and a wait before I know what I got. There's something honest about an image that exists physically. I can hold it up to the light, feel it curl in my hand, and put it in a sleeve.

I shoot almost only black and white. Partly because I love how it strips a scene down to light and shape, and partly for a practical reason: it's forgiving enough to develop in my own kitchen. Once the negatives are dry I scan them, and the ones that won't leave me alone get printed.

Most frames are just practice. Every so often, though, the light, the moment and my timing all line up. Those are the ones you'll find here.

My usual cameras are autofocus SLRs from Nikon and Canon, which are quick enough for the street. I also keep a few manual-focus bodies for when I want to slow down. I like swapping lenses, playing with artificial light and seeing what happens when I break my own habits.

None of this is my job. It's just the thing I keep coming back to.