Mark Sink — The Diana Camera

Mark Sink is a Denver-based photographer, curator, and educator whose work with the plastic toy Diana camera helped define an aesthetic that would later influence generations of lo-fi and alternative process photographers. Long before Instagram filters made imperfection fashionable, Mark was embracing light leaks, vignetting, and soft focus as expressive tools.

This interview, conducted in 1996, captures Mark at a pivotal moment in his career. He discusses why he was drawn to the Diana's unpredictability, how the camera's limitations became its greatest strengths, and what it means to make fine-art work with a tool that costs less than a roll of film.

Note: The beginning of this interview could not be recovered due to deteriorated recording media, but what remains is a fascinating window into the early days of alternative process photography in Colorado and Mark's enduring philosophy about image-making.