London photographer Matthew Ritson captures obscure, hazy, and untouched landscapes, blending analogue and digital formats to explore memory and place. Driven by a desire to retrace his steps photographically, his practice involves distinct darkroom manipulations where he applies water directly onto undeveloped prints. This physical, tactile intervention creates abstract edits that beautifully alter the original scene. Because this experimental technique relies entirely on the hand and touch, each resulting image is completely unique and can never be replicated.

Matthew developed his location-dependent approach to image-making while traveling the world as a touring musician. He holds a degree in Fine Art from the University of the Arts London (UAL), an education that laid the foundation for his deeply experimental and multi-layered relationship with the photographic medium.

His process remains a thoughtful way of connecting with past environments.

“I wanted to explore a way in which I could revisit an archive of images—what it would look like to retrace my steps photographically speaking. Using water on the undeveloped prints became a way to physically trace parts of an image and outline a new way of connecting with them.”

 Artist Feature: 'Flowers from South' — Read in the Journal