Learning by Doing

On film, tarot, and trusting what emerges through practice

A few days before the new year arrived, I developed my first roll of film at home (one of those photos is above). It took a couple of weeks to gather the equipment and chemicals. I used Cinestill’s Monobath on a roll of Ilford HP5+ 400, shot on my Minolta HiMatic 7sii. I read articles, watched videos, and once I felt just ready enough, I went for it.

I made a lot of mistakes. But I learn best by doing—by starting before I’m ready and figuring things out along the way.

I’ve developed four rolls so far. Each time, the process feels a little more familiar, a little more intuitive.

While the film develops, I like to keep my tarot cards nearby. Sitting on the bathroom floor, waiting, is a good moment to pull a few cards.

This spread (above) made a lot of sense to me.

The Ace of Pentacles points to a new opportunity—to create something tangible, here and now.

It’s surrounded by two more challenging cards. The Seven of Swords reminds me not to over-strategize or stay stuck in the past. The Five of Cups asks me to acknowledge what’s been lost, without losing sight of what remains—the two upright cups still standing.

In both cards, there are two objects behind the figure: swords in one, cups in the other. That visual echo feels important. The first line of cards reads as encouragement to take risks, to move forward without getting trapped in worry or over-preparation.

The Ace of Cups feels like the next step—an invitation to explore new emotional depths. It suggests the expansion that becomes possible when I’m willing to take creative risks.

This is also the spirit I’m bringing into my Tarot Talks this year.

Like developing film, these sessions are about showing up, paying attention, and letting something take shape through presence rather than certainty. Tarot, for me, is a way of listening—using the cards as a mirror for creative process, intuition, and what wants to be made visible. I’m beginning to offer one-on-one Tarot Talks for those who feel drawn to this kind of reflective conversation.

Here’s a photo I developed (and shot!) this morning.

Happy New Year!

xo, Corinne

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