JXN through the Viewfinder
From 2020 to 2022, Maria Zeringue documented moments of art and beauty in her city with her instant cameras, finding hidden gems that she might not have noticed otherwise.
I bought my first instant camera in 2017 just before moving to Jackson. It was a Fuji Instax Mini Neo 90, which I still have and use today. Over time, my collection of instant cameras grew to include Polaroid cameras and other Fuji models. I’ve enjoyed getting into instant photography because of its simplicity and low barrier to entry. The cameras are easy to operate, so it’s fun to focus more on the light and the composition of the shot.
I also like the tangible nature of instant film and the satisfaction that comes from holding a photo in your hand seconds after clicking the shutter button.
What I also love about instant photography is how intimate you are with the geography and landscape of the place you are photographing. In my experience, photography makes you really look at the details of a place—to pay attention—to what is there and what catches your eye. It has made me see things around Jackson that maybe I would not have noticed without my camera.
In the early days of the pandemic, my girlfriend Callie and I would take long drives after work around Jackson as an excuse to get out of the house for a while. We would not use any maps, and we would just explore the metro area and check out roads or neighborhoods we didn’t know very well.
While on these drives, I would pay attention to interesting typography on signs or neat places to come and photograph later. I would make notes of these spots in my phone, and when the light was right or on a beautiful day, I would retrace my steps with my Polaroid or Fuji camera. It was during this time that I really got to know the layout of the city and finally felt comfortable driving around without Google Maps. The pandemic taught me about Jackson’s highway system, and photography taught me how to look closely—on a human scale—to see Jackson’s streets and sidewalks as a place of artistry.
Photography is about making connections. Connections of place, color, shape, light, composition, and meaning out of what is already there. This connective quality of photography is my favorite aspect of this art form. Wherever I am, taking photos makes me think about what is beautiful or visually interesting in a place. It makes me look again and anew.
What do I see today that I didn’t see before? Where should I pay attention? Where in this space can I carve out a beautiful image?
When I am walking around with my camera, it is invigorating because it feels like the opportunities for creation are endless, like my next good photo is just a few steps away. I think it is safe to say that Jackson is not the most beautiful city in the world, but photography has made me see the beauty in its vignettes of stop signs and street corners, in its graffiti, murals, and architecture.
I walked around and took photos of Jackson before the pandemic, but with the extra time on my hands, I decided to spend some of my lockdown time exploring more of Jackson on foot and with my camera in tow. This hobby was also a safe way to get out of the house and do something fun while social distancing.
The photos in this essay come from my time photographing the city during the pandemic. It was a scary and uncertain time for sure, but the slower pace of life gave me the space to develop my skills with instant photography. In a way, these photos capture my development as an artist and how I learned to pay attention and see my corner of the world from a different perspective. I hope this project inspires people to look at the potential for creating art in everyday life whether it’s from behind a viewfinder or a paintbrush or any other medium.
Great pictures; Maria has a wonderful eye.
Wonderful photos! I love how much graffiti and commissioned public art Jackson now has, and how you're documenting some of it in such a beautiful way.