16.02.20 #8 Elise + Stacy, Santa Cruz, CA, from the Surfland series

Description

In Joni Sternbach’s Surfland series, what began as an attempt to capture the movement of waves became a documentation of surf culture. She was especially drawn to women surfers, such as the couple here, who run counter to masculine stereotypes around surfing. To make this photo, Sternbach employed the tintype process, which requires pouring chemicals onto a metal plate and then exposing and developing it on the spot, the perfect complement to her chosen subject matter. The swirling liquid chemicals echo the movement of the waves and the interplay between surfers and the water.