Taking time to reflect.
Coronavirus
The current Coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact all over the world. It has devastated businesses and families and completely changed the way that we as a society interact with one another. I hope that you and your family remain safe and well at this time and if you have been unfortunate enough to suffer the loss of a family member or friend then please accept my deepest sympathies. Hopefully there is now light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines being rolled out around the world. With a bit of luck we can get back to relative normality in the near future.
Time to reflect
As well as my business and family, Coronavirus has also had an unexpected impact on my photography. My focus has always been directed towards landscape photography. This is not really a surprise as it was a book by photographer Ansel Adams that started my obsession with photography that would inevitably also lead to my passion for printing in the darkroom.
I am somewhat of an introvert. I enjoy the company of others but have always sought refuge in isolation. Landscape photography is a wonderful way of being alone with nothing but the scenery and traditional British weather for company. That isolation is continued when locked away in my darkroom for hours in the evening, making the image that was visualised in my mind at time of pressing the shutter a reality, within the trays of chemicals in front of me.
Turns out, I like people more than I thought I did
The unexpected result of multiple lockdowns and a loss of freedom is the realisation that I have a deep appreciation for people and the opportunity to be around them when I want to be. Not necessarily interacting with people, but having the opportunity to observe and be among people as they go about their daily business. I would still choose a long isolated walk on the beach over spending time at a party, but removing the opportunity to be around people has highlighted just how important it is to me.
I started to look at my print and book collection a lot while building my new darkroom (Blog to follow) and one thing that really stood out to me is that in my whole collection of books and prints I only have two books and a print that are related to landscape photography. Every other book is related to the documentation of humanity in one way or another.
Reflection and change of balance
I then started to look back through my own images and although my focus has been on landscape photography, some of the images that I enjoy looking at the most are the ones that I have taken that include a human element. I have made conscious effort to photograph people on many occasions but it has never occurred to me that maybe this is what I should be concentrating most of my efforts on, even if only for a limited period of time. I’ve always said to my children that they are more likely to succeed or excel at something if it is something that they find interesting. Given that my interest seems to be focused on more of a documentary style of photography it may be wise for me to follow my own advice.
Great landscape photography takes skill, patience, a good eye for composition and a bit of luck. It can be a slow and contemplative process and decisions can be made without having to react much faster than the speed at which the sun sets or rises. There are obviously moments when you have to work quickly but for the most part, time is on your side.
The same can’t always be said of photography when the human element is present. It is a process of watching, waiting and reacting quickly. Being able to read and understand how people act and react to each other at the same time as hunting for an image that combines moment, composition and sensitivity towards subject. Sensitivity, being one of the most important things to consider. I really admire the skill of the photographers who’s work I have looked at repeatedly in the books that I own. That of being able to combine all of these elements and do it consistently and with great sensitivity.
So, even though the current situation is proving to be difficult, it is also allowing me to spend time thinking about my photography. It is hard to be able to get out and actually make images at the moment but we wont be in this situation forever. When I can finally get out and do the things that I have been so used to doing in the past, it will give me a renewed appreciation for so many of the things that I have taken for granted.
I’ve always tried to stay positive and put my energy into learning or bettering myself in any way possible rather than seeing only the negative side of things. One thing that I have seen as a gift during the pandemic is time. When running a business and taking care of my family alongside my wife, spare time is not usually something that I have in abundance.
Spending time at home, getting to know my children and also learn some things about myself at the same time has been something that many people who also lead a busy life don’t get the opportunity to do.
This isn’t a blog post to announce that I am giving up on my landscape photography. It’s more that the balance of my interests and where I dedicate my free time is shifting slightly. I will also be printing a lot more now that I have a dedicated darkroom but more on that In a future post.
I hope that you stay safe and well, thanks for taking the time to join me as I ramble on and as always feel free to leave a comment or pop me an email.
Matt.