Hello, I’m Gill and I write a photography blog inspired by the landscapes of Suffolk and beyond. Please subscribe to read more of my writing and visit my website to view my images.
This week has been busy and energy fuelled. The weather has been stormy, bands of wind and rain have swept across Suffolk making workshops challenging and when I haven’t been out teaching I have been in front of the computer catching up with admin and planning new courses. As a result I haven’t found much time to get out with the camera on a personal level.
It is a mistaken assumption that the life of a professional landscape photographer is one filled with time to make images. In reality I am lucky if I get out once a week to make my own photographs.
When I have busy weeks I often question the balance in my work life. Whilst I love running workshops and mentoring people I also love pursuing my own photography and when time is tight I often don’t get the chance to do this.
There have been a few things that have inspired this weeks post. I have been planning my workshops for 2024, in Suffolk and beyond, while at the same time working out what locations I would like to explore next year for my own personal projects. I love photographing Suffolk but sometimes the pull to have a change of scene is strong, particularly as new locations can have the effect of re-energising and inspiring my photography.
I read an interesting post this week about the joy of repetition by visual artist and author Samantha Clark and this got me thinking about repetition in photography from a location point of view.
Is it a good idea to photograph locally and are we repeating ourselves if we revisit a location time and again? Is this form of repetition good for our creative development?
I have been asking myself these questions a lot recently as I struggle to find the time to travel and wrestle with the ethics of flying to take images. I am lucky in that I have travelled quite widely in the past so maybe I don’t feel the need to continue but I do question if my work has a relevance if I don’t explore the world a little more.
It can be difficult to stay inspired on home ground and sometimes I have to search a little harder for the motivation to revisit places I have photographed many times. Having said that I think I have produced some of my best work in familiar, local landscapes so there is definitely something to be said for revisiting well known scenes.
Are we really repeating ourselves when we revisit locations? The conditions are never going to be the same even if physical components are identical. The light and weather will be different and this will effect the mood and emotion of each image. Are these photographs of the old boat at Orford repetitive or does each have an individual story to tell?
These questions have led me to think about why I am driven to make photographs, what is the reason behind my desire to make images? I believe understanding this for any photographer can have a huge impact on the work they choose to produce.
I used to think that my main motivation for creating images was to capture the beauty that I saw in the landscapes around me. This is still true but as I have grown older and the environmental issues the world faces have grown bigger I increasingly feel that I want my photography to portray the local view of global issues. I want my images to depict our changing landscapes and I want my workshops to foster a connection and a deeper understanding of these landscapes so that they have a better chance of surviving into the future.
So if this is my why, does travelling to take photographs support this? If I visit a beautiful landscape abroad, do I have anything interesting to say about it that hasn’t already been said better by other photographers. Would I produce better work closer to home where the repetitive nature of my photography has allowed me to understand the landscape on a deeper level?
These images show the Sandlings Heath at Westleton - on the left as it usually looks every August when the heather blooms and on the right as it looked last August after the drought and high temperatures of the summer. If my ‘why’ is to help depict environmental change then maybe this is a good illustration and a good reason to focus my attention locally?
I am not saying that I never want to travel again, far from it, but I don’t think capturing famous landmarks or iconic locations are motivating factors for my photography. I have much more to say closer to home.
I have also been increasingly drawn to collaborative work which I think is a fantastic way to connect with people who share similar values and ideas and hopefully you will see some more of this next year.
I think it’s useful for all photographers to understand why they are motivated to take photographs as this will undoubtedly help their creative journey.
If you stuck in a bit of a creative rut I would urge you to think about the reasons why you started taking photos in the first place - what inspired you to get out with the camera. By looking back at your past work and answering this question it will help you to reconnect with your original motivation.
Try to abandon the idea of perfection, it is more important for your creativity to experiment and try new things than it is to aim for perfect images every time you go out. Being free to try something different is liberating and will definitely help your creativity grow.
Look at the work of other photographers, think about their style and techniques and then experiment with something similar. I use this technique in my ‘inspired by’ workshops and it’s great fun. It also helps you see what is possible if you experiment with something different.
Make time for your photography - go for a walk with the camera, without any expectations and see what you come back with. Sometime the simple act of getting out and looking at the landscape with fresh eyes is enough to inspire something different. If you would like more ideas you can read about ‘sketchbook’ photo walks on my website.
Part of this weeks blog has also inspired by a discussion with Australian photographer Paul Heolen on the podcast F Stop Collaborate and Listen. Paul was talking about his work, his motivation and his desire to use his photography to promote change in the world. He included a quote in his conversation from another Australian photographer - Steve Parish, which I will finish with as it resonated with me.
Your creative life’s purpose is to discover your voice, your life’s work is to develop it, your life’s meaning is to communicate it.
Thank you very much for reading and until next week enjoy your photography.
Gill
I was really excited to read this! While I cannot speak to some of your questions, the idea of returning to an intimately familiar place often is a topic I was planning to write about in the future. I have several of those places in my town, and I think it is incredibly valuable to see them over time to gain a connection to the local land and seasons with an artistic eye that develops over time.
I am reminded of the quote by Heraclitus- "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for its not the same river and he's not the same man."
Interesting point, familiarity, images from travel, like all images are just a snap shot of time, and quite often we are not able to return to the scene, and certainly not another season. Whereas with subjects close at hand, we can revisit and capture images, through a variety of weather conditions and seasons. I think that with locality we have time to 'put it right', when travelling with only one chance there is more of an element for disappointment!
Another thoughtful article, thank you.