Laidric Stevenson’s nocturnal photographs explore sleeplessness, solitude and a renewed creative practice shaped by parenthood.

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In October 2013, I returned from my first-ever portfolio review, feeling excited and hopeful about my future and a new project. It was my first attempt to create an extensive series of photographs, and I was eager to reflect on the feedback. By April, I was prepared to hit the road again.

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After Easter, my wife found out she was pregnant, making us first-time parents. My wanderlust shifted into excitement for our new family member, and I started capturing photos of my wife and our evolving journey. In December 2014, our son was born, and we set out to navigate the adventure of parenthood.

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When our little guy started sleeping through the night, my wife and I agreed that I should go out for a few hours to take photos. What was once a casual idea—a moment to shoot—now became the only time I genuinely wanted to photograph. I started noticing details like the scent of the night air and how the night softens the noise of daily life.

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As photographers, we often face questions from those who don’t understand our purpose: ‘What are you doing? Why are you taking pictures? What are you photographing? Why this subject?’ Sometimes, even we aren't sure why. Our photos are reflections of our search for answers. All I can say is, some nights I can’t sleep.

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Our photos are reflections of our search for answers. All I can say is, some nights I can’t sleep.

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About

Laidric Stevenson is a Dallas, Texas-based analogue (film) photographer and zine maker. His photographic work focuses on documenting city and urban spaces, using tripod-bound medium- and large-format cameras and the slow, deliberate pace they demand. He is an enthusiastic self-publisher of zines and small photobooks, using them as his main creative outlet for his photographs. His publications are part of permanent photography book collections, including Filter Space in Chicago, the Ephemere Photo Library in Tokyo, Japan, and the Texas Photographers Collection at the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

www.laidricstevenson.format.com