While many today happily snap away with their mobile phones to share their experiences on social media, a local photographer is much more interested in sharing the photographic ‘journey’.

Alan Falzon is one of those few analogue photographers who still print their work in a darkroom.

This is quite a laborious process and requires a lot of time, decision-making and patience, besides being quite costly. But, according to Mr Falzon, it is much more satisfactory than digital photography and printing.

“I really love the idea that the whole process is controlled by myself,” he says.

“From choosing the film and camera to use to what to shoot, how to expose and compose each frame. Then the choice of chemicals, papers and all other darkroom bits and pieces, until all this time and patience is rewarded when I finally have a fine art print in my hands.

“The personal satisfaction of having a photographic journey cannot be matched by likes,” Mr Falzon adds.

‘Complimenting a photograph with a good story will give a greater sense of fulfilment than any editing could’ – Alan Falzon. Scroll to see more photos.

While commenting that many images posted online are of poor photographic technique, he admits that, as an art form, technical proficiency in photography is not vital but says that complimenting a photograph with a good story will give a greater sense of fulfilment than any editing could.

Valletta exhibition

To illustrate his point, Mr Falzon has put on an exhibition titled Fotographija, Hand Printed at The Splendid in Strait Street, Valletta.

I love the idea that the whole process is controlled by myself

The exhibition highlights the intricacies of hand-made prints when compared to the immediacy, quantity and quality of image sharing on social media.

“The theme is the traditional printing process: how a photographer decides which frame to print followed by the numerous choices taken in chemicals and materials until a final beautiful work of art is created,” Mr Falzon says.

On display are over 60 hand-made silver gelatin fine art prints of various sizes, all of which are processed differently. Every photo also has its own story.

The main section of the exhibition features Mr Falzon’s own photographs, which he hand-printed over the years.

The second part consists of a series of hand-made prints from a small selection of analogue photographers from Darkroom Malta, which Mr Falzon founded in 2012.

Running parallel to the exhibition are a number of workshops, the last two of which are being held today and on Thursday. Well-known photographer Kevin Casha also held a talk about post-war photography in Malta as part of the exhibition events.

Fotographija, Hand Printed runs at The Splendid until January 31.

For more information, visit www.fotographija.com and the exhibition’s Facebook page.