Nocturne is a photographic series by Laurel Guido exploring transformation, instinct, and the space between concealment and emergence. Through layered portraits and organic forms, the images move between the familiar and the unknown.
Parts of the series were photographed on revolog STREAK, allowing the film’s distinctive lines and textures to become an integral part of the visual language.
Where are you from, and where are you currently based?
I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and am now based in Chicago.
Could you tell us a little about yourself and how your interest in photography began?
I started taking pictures as a kid with a small film camera, and by high
school I was shooting and developing my own black and white 35mm film.
Since then, my work has shifted a lot. I've moved from documenting the
world around me to constructing it - building scenes and exploring
concepts through staged portraiture, alternative processes, and
experimental film.
Do you work professionally as a photographer, or is photography primarily a personal and creative practice for you?
Photography is both a personal and creative practice for me. I do take
on freelance work, but a large part of my practice is collaborative and
personal. It gives me the freedom to create photographs as a way of
shaping a feeling, rather than just documenting what's in front of me.
What draws you to analog photography? Do you also shoot digitally, and does your approach change between the two?
I generally don't shoot digitally. What draws me to analog is its
physical and emotional quality - it's hard to replicate that digitally.
Analog also introduces a level of chance I can't fully control, which
allows me to play more freely than I could with digital.
Are there particular subjects, themes, or moods that you repeatedly return to in your work? What attracts you to them?
A big part of my work (and the stories or concepts I explore through it)
comes from a quiet, imagined space I keep returning to. Working from
that mindset feels personally healing, and it lets me build narratives
that sit just outside of everyday life - not fully fantasy, but not
entirely grounded either.
What is your favorite analog camera or photographic setup, and what do you enjoy about using it?
I come back to my Canon 50mm 1.4 lens most often. It's simple and
reliable. But I also love to play with more unconventional lenses, like
Lensbaby or a fully manual Petzval lens, when I want to push the image
into something more distorted or unexpected.
Could you introduce this series and tell us about the original idea behind it?
Nocturne is an experimental analog portrait series about
instinct, metamorphosis, and emergence. I was inspired by the
Madagascar Sunset moth and the story of transformation it holds. I used
paper butterfly and moth specimens throughout the series to visually
reflect that process of change.
Where and over what period of time did you photograph the series?
The series was photographed in Chicago in one shoot. We only shot for
about an hour and a half! It was one of the quickest shoots I've ever
done, but it challenged me to let go of control a little more and feel
into the shoot rather than thinking through every detail in the moment.
Did you begin with a clearly defined concept, or did the series develop more spontaneously as you were shooting?
I began with a clear concept. As I did more research, I took inspiration
from the other specimens I chose to work with for this shoot. Coming up
with the concept beforehand became the anchor for creating the images
and a feeling my model and I could return to. But the framing, the
interaction with light, and the posing came together more naturally as I
began shooting.
Why did you decide to photograph this project on analog film, and why did you choose revolog STREAK in particular?
Analog film plays a huge role in the feeling and emotion I wanted to
express. Because this project is about transition and uncertainty, film
felt like the right tool for that. Revolog STREAK added to that idea
too, since its unpredictable streaks and color casts fit the project's
themes. The images sit between darkness and light, and the colors the
film creates within that darkness become part of the contrast.
Are there any upcoming projects or ideas you are currently working on that you would like to share?
Right now I'm working on an experimental series exploring organic shapes
found in nature and reimagining them through form. I'm 3D printing
those shapes onto sheer fabric, creating a contrast between something
structured and something soft and translucent. I'm planning to shoot the
series on revolog TEXTURE, letting its unpredictable nature shape the
process as well!
What advice would you give to someone who is beginning to explore analog or experimental photography?
Don't be afraid of uncertainty. Plan enough to give the work
direction, but leave room to release control and trust the process - it
can be a genuinely rewarding and therapeutic experience.
Hold on to and organize your negatives, because even if they didn't
turn out the way you wanted, you may want to go back and repurpose them
for future experimental work!
Artist Bio:
Laurel Guido is a Chicago-based photographer and multidisciplinary
artist working with analog film, alcohol ink, and experimental
image-making processes. Her work explores color, light, and the
relationship between the natural and imagined world. Through
portraiture, tactile materials, and hands-on experimentation, she
creates ethereal images rooted in atmosphere, collaboration, and analog
unpredictability. She continues to shoot as a freelance photographer in
Chicago while creating mixed media paintings that reflect the same
dreamlike sensibility found throughout her photographic work.
Want to share your work with us? If you have a project shot on revolog film that you think would be a good fit for Artist Stories, we’d love to hear from you.
