I love these images and I have been thinking about doing a project on Suffolk pill boxes (I photo'd the one by Sizewell power station last week as a start!) so this has inspired me to push ahead - and therefore I haven't studied yours too closely so I can keep my mind clear to develop a direction.
As a 'young' photographer (in experience terms) at a camera club I would hear the comments 'What would a judge think?'. That has a place if you are looking to produce something with the purpose of entering it into a competition, however I did find that question popping into my head whenever I was about to press the shutter! It became inhibiting and took the fun out of what is supposed to be a relaxing hobby. So I am trying hard to see what I want to take photos of - because there must be a conscious or more likely sub-conscious reason why the scene resonates with me.
Likewise. I have an image of one near Happisburgh. And also an award of others. It might be interesting to try different sorts of lighting-both internal and maybe some light painting. Could turn out to be quite creative. Just need to get myself out there 🤣
Thank you very much for your comments Martin and I am glad the post has given you a little inspiration to continue with your own project which sounds great.
I have found that creating projects has really made my personal photography more interesting. I don't think you should worry about what camera club judges say but just try to produce work that means something to you. In the end I think that will make your images better anyway. I think we tend to create best when we are interested and inspired rather than worrying if we have done something 'correctly'.
I think its very cool that you shared this (mini project) with us. I find it very inspiring, maybe not the subject / topic itself, but more on the graphical part of it: pairing photos, using the geometrical shapes to place them in - it's really well done 👍
Thank you so much Ronald. I am glad you enjoyed the post and found it inspiring. I really enjoyed the project and it has given me a bit more confidence to experiment in future which is great.
I'm so glad that you did make these images. For me they work beautifully. I like the intimacy and, as you mentioned, it lifts me away from the dark aspects of humanity that we seem to be engulfed in at the moment.
I don't know if you have come across Paul Still? His latest newsletter resonates a little with what you have said. I hope this link works:
Thanks Gill. Of course you are correct! My apologies. It's Discover Still, by Paul Sanders. Sorry the link didn't work, but I've forwarded a copy by email.
Of course we are all influenced by the world around us, including how our work might be received by "our audience". I feel there is more freedom to experiment here on Substack (compared with Instagram) because we can provide more context to the work and are seeking meaningful engagement rather than likes. Keep experimenting - the images are really strong, especially as part of a mini-project.
Thank you so much for your comments James and I am glad you enjoyed the images. I agree with you about Substack and have found the community on here to be extremely supportive and encouraging. 🙂
Gill, I think the photos you posted in this blog are incredibly striking and work very well together. The shot you chose for your cover is so beautiful and very powerful. It conveys (to me) a lot of strong emotions, difficult to describe with words. Certainly very moving.
Following on from last month's challenge, Emotional Landscapes, I think these sets of images illustrate perfectly how well you have succeeded in conveying emotions with your images, making them very compelling. And for this reason alone, (but there are others), I am so glad that you have decided to share them, even if the style and subject matter are different from your usual photography. Who knows, going forward, you might find this style more and more inspirational. I certainly hope so. I, for one, have really enjoyed them.
Thank you so much for your kind comments Federica. It is has been really interesting to read your feedback and I am so glad you enjoyed the post and the images.
I think it is always nerve wracking sharing things that are different but I know that I should not worry about that and just produce the work I believe in.
This is a fantastic mini project Gill. The images and message are wonderful. I think it's very important to try something different. I'm happy to put different things on my Instagram but can understand why you might not want to. What about another account for this type of work.
Thank you very much for your kind comments Peter and I am glad you enjoyed the images. I think I might just stick to Substack for sharing different work, I don't think I could handle another Instagram account! (Although it was a good suggestion) 🙂
I think this is an excellent mini project Gill - the pairing of the images works so well together and I love your design idea of using the shape of the pill box window slots for the light, positive side of the work. That cover shot is the perfect one for the purpose as it tells the story all in one image with the swallow emerging into the light...brilliant.
As for the question of pleasing our audience by posting what they want to see - I know my younger self would always focus on pleasing others, but now I think being true to ourselves and our creativity is the most important thing. Of course you have to consider your income stream but as artists from many fields of creativity (I'm thinking Picasso, Bowie etc for example) have changed their style or subjects and shared that over the years, their audience has stuck by them so why should that not be the case for photographers? Well that's what I use to remind myself anyway!🤔
There’s also the aspect that, by sharing different work and different ways of presenting it, you then inspire others in the way you were inspired by the two peoples work you’ve mentioned. This wonderful photography community on Substack is a great place to test out new creative ideas and to gain further inspiration so it's a win win all round!😊
Thank you so much Lin for your kind comments about the project. I am glad you enjoyed the images.
I think you are definitely right about being true to ourselves and our creativity. Sometimes I wonder if I deviate too much whether I will lose clients (and that is always my main worry) but I think on balance it is more important to go with what we find inspiring. I also agree that Substack is a wonderful community to test the water and share things we might not otherwise. 🙂
First off, I loved the images. I went to Beacon Hill fort at Harwich a few years ago, and my aim was not to take pictures of rust and graffiti (though that was fun) but to try and get across the feeling of what it must have been like to be based there for years in WW2. I failed, but I thought it was worth the effort. Your series, and the chap book idea, gets so much closer.
I think the consensus of the comments below is to share whatever you feel proud of, and I would echo that. But one proviso maybe; it's easy for those of us who don't make a living out of photography to say that. Before I retired I helped run a small IT consultancy company and theoretically we could have done a huge range of work, but we consciously focused on just a couple of areas. The thinking was that customers get confused if they don't instantly know what you do, and they can't be bothered to work it out if it's difficult! Plus there's the Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none argument. So for a commercial photographer, the analogy would be to stick to a simple proposition for the commercial side of the business, but do what the heck you like elsewhere! But what do I know....
Mark Littlejohn, best known as a landscape photographer, has recently found a passion for pictures of kelp, and has published books and articles on the subject. Not being aware of his circumstances, I'm not sure whether that supports my argument or defeats it!
Thank you very much for your comments Mark, I am glad you enjoyed the images. I think these old buildings can make really interesting short projects so I hope you will get back out to Beacon Hill for another go sometime.
I agree with your comments about specialising and I think that is why I posed the question. The people who follow me do so presumably because they like my style of work, if I change that I run the risk of alienating these people. However, having said that, I do think work should evolve in whatever direction inspires the photographer. Mark Littlejohn is a great example of this and I think his kelp images are an interesting extension of his landscape work. I believe they make Mark a more accomplished photographer. They are not too far removed from his landscapes and are still part of nature so I think they compliment his work well. If he had diversified into photographing aircraft for example I believe this would have been a distraction from his original work.
What a great way to tell your story. I think the graphic designs of the page backgrounds work quite well for the most part. My only personal wish would be that the “Light” image was bigger as your lovely image at the small size it is presented as is a bit overshadowed (?) by the graphic background that is so large in comparison (I have old eyes). I really like the intent as well as the execution of this project and the “suggestion” is just my own nit-picking and point of view. 😊
Thank you very much for your comments and I actually agree. However I wanted the shapes to mirror the openings in the building which was why I made the coloured image so small. I think if I had spent more time on it I may have found a better balance. 🙂
Aha. I see! I get that now. I guess that’s the thing about presenting the final output: there are always so many options and things to communicate, many roads that can be taken. Thanks for explaining your intent, it makes me appreciate the shapes more and let go of the need to have that larger view of the image.
Thank you very much Sian, that is very kind of you to say so. I really enjoy creating little projects like this - it's always challenging but very satisfying.
A fascinating, original and instructive article Gill. Looking at my thousands of images over the last 20 years, its very obvious that I would go some where, take a few pictures and that was it - I now had a record of the place - lets find somewhere else. But over the last couple of years now we don't travel around South Wales as much (we've been there!!) I have been looking for a different approach and your comments and photos have made me think yet again. I wish I had your creativity.
As to your comment about the influence of other people, I have the following in a frame on my wall - "Be original, be yourself, produce the images that please you and do it to the best of your ability."
Thank you very much Bill and I especially like the quote.
I think there is a lot to be said for working locally and really getting to know a place by picking themes to guide image making. I find this way of working so much more satisfying and it is good for my creativity too. 🙂
Got through a response and for some reason lost it in the ether!
Second try,
A very personal project, although inspired by others (the referenced posts also interesting) which I think works well. I had to look at the cover image in more detail to see the swallow, and wonder if this is a single capture, or a composite? Either way very striking.
You have a habit of asking the difficult questions, which from a purely amateur perspective are not easy to offer a definitive response, because I don't really have an audience or clients, and do not need, or need, or wish for, photography to be a significant income stream, so potentially more scope to shoot what I want when I want!
Having said that, like a previous comment, I would think that there is a potentially commercial side to your "chap books" if the cost could be maintained at a reasonable level, and perhaps produced as a series, so the purchaser is looking forward to the next issue! Much like your fortnightly blogs!😀
Thank you very much for your comments Chris, I am glad you enjoyed the post and are still enjoying the blogs after 2 years!
The cover image is one shot. I watched the swallows coming or going for a while and then knew which exits they liked to fly out from. I couldn't get any closer as I wanted the doorway to show in its entirety, but I think on a bigger screen the swallow shows up quite well.
I agree with your comments and think that whilst I should probably consider what my audience likes it is more authentic to share the work that appeals to me and which I am most proud of.
This is a great and interesting project Gill, a lot of imagination and hard work must have gone into this. If people like what you post, that’s good, if not so what. This project also underpins the thought that one can find inspiration close to home rather than always having to travel far and wide to find it.
Thank you vey much for your comments George and I am glad you enjoyed the post. I think that is true, there are always so many opportunities to be explored close to home.
I love these images and I have been thinking about doing a project on Suffolk pill boxes (I photo'd the one by Sizewell power station last week as a start!) so this has inspired me to push ahead - and therefore I haven't studied yours too closely so I can keep my mind clear to develop a direction.
As a 'young' photographer (in experience terms) at a camera club I would hear the comments 'What would a judge think?'. That has a place if you are looking to produce something with the purpose of entering it into a competition, however I did find that question popping into my head whenever I was about to press the shutter! It became inhibiting and took the fun out of what is supposed to be a relaxing hobby. So I am trying hard to see what I want to take photos of - because there must be a conscious or more likely sub-conscious reason why the scene resonates with me.
Snap! Have also been thinking of looking at pill boxes, I know of two or three, really should start the process! Good luck with yours!😀
Likewise. I have an image of one near Happisburgh. And also an award of others. It might be interesting to try different sorts of lighting-both internal and maybe some light painting. Could turn out to be quite creative. Just need to get myself out there 🤣
Now there's the problem, the mind is willing as is the inspiration, just need to match it with commitment!😅
Thank you very much for your comments Martin and I am glad the post has given you a little inspiration to continue with your own project which sounds great.
I have found that creating projects has really made my personal photography more interesting. I don't think you should worry about what camera club judges say but just try to produce work that means something to you. In the end I think that will make your images better anyway. I think we tend to create best when we are interested and inspired rather than worrying if we have done something 'correctly'.
Good luck with the project.
I think its very cool that you shared this (mini project) with us. I find it very inspiring, maybe not the subject / topic itself, but more on the graphical part of it: pairing photos, using the geometrical shapes to place them in - it's really well done 👍
Bookmarked for future reference!
Thank you so much Ronald. I am glad you enjoyed the post and found it inspiring. I really enjoyed the project and it has given me a bit more confidence to experiment in future which is great.
Awesome! Please don't hesitate to share more ;-)
Gill,
I'm so glad that you did make these images. For me they work beautifully. I like the intimacy and, as you mentioned, it lifts me away from the dark aspects of humanity that we seem to be engulfed in at the moment.
I don't know if you have come across Paul Still? His latest newsletter resonates a little with what you have said. I hope this link works:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzQbgcRdRvKnRPGCDLsQjnxHLFtB
As always, you have inspired me to look more closely and try to ensure that the images I make are what I need to do.
Thanks for sharing.
Dennis
Thank you so much for your comments Dennis. I am really glad you enjoyed the images and they inspired you in some way.
Unfortunately the link didn't appear to work - did you mean Paul Still or Still by Paul Sanders?
Thanks Gill. Of course you are correct! My apologies. It's Discover Still, by Paul Sanders. Sorry the link didn't work, but I've forwarded a copy by email.
Thanks again.
Really inspiring. Excellent images and presentation.
Thank you very much David, I am glad you enjoyed them.
Great images Gill (I particularly liked Sorrow).
Of course we are all influenced by the world around us, including how our work might be received by "our audience". I feel there is more freedom to experiment here on Substack (compared with Instagram) because we can provide more context to the work and are seeking meaningful engagement rather than likes. Keep experimenting - the images are really strong, especially as part of a mini-project.
Thank you so much for your comments James and I am glad you enjoyed the images. I agree with you about Substack and have found the community on here to be extremely supportive and encouraging. 🙂
Gill, I think the photos you posted in this blog are incredibly striking and work very well together. The shot you chose for your cover is so beautiful and very powerful. It conveys (to me) a lot of strong emotions, difficult to describe with words. Certainly very moving.
Following on from last month's challenge, Emotional Landscapes, I think these sets of images illustrate perfectly how well you have succeeded in conveying emotions with your images, making them very compelling. And for this reason alone, (but there are others), I am so glad that you have decided to share them, even if the style and subject matter are different from your usual photography. Who knows, going forward, you might find this style more and more inspirational. I certainly hope so. I, for one, have really enjoyed them.
Thank you so much for your kind comments Federica. It is has been really interesting to read your feedback and I am so glad you enjoyed the post and the images.
I think it is always nerve wracking sharing things that are different but I know that I should not worry about that and just produce the work I believe in.
Thank you again for your comments. 🙂
This is a fantastic mini project Gill. The images and message are wonderful. I think it's very important to try something different. I'm happy to put different things on my Instagram but can understand why you might not want to. What about another account for this type of work.
Thank you very much for your kind comments Peter and I am glad you enjoyed the images. I think I might just stick to Substack for sharing different work, I don't think I could handle another Instagram account! (Although it was a good suggestion) 🙂
I think this is an excellent mini project Gill - the pairing of the images works so well together and I love your design idea of using the shape of the pill box window slots for the light, positive side of the work. That cover shot is the perfect one for the purpose as it tells the story all in one image with the swallow emerging into the light...brilliant.
As for the question of pleasing our audience by posting what they want to see - I know my younger self would always focus on pleasing others, but now I think being true to ourselves and our creativity is the most important thing. Of course you have to consider your income stream but as artists from many fields of creativity (I'm thinking Picasso, Bowie etc for example) have changed their style or subjects and shared that over the years, their audience has stuck by them so why should that not be the case for photographers? Well that's what I use to remind myself anyway!🤔
There’s also the aspect that, by sharing different work and different ways of presenting it, you then inspire others in the way you were inspired by the two peoples work you’ve mentioned. This wonderful photography community on Substack is a great place to test out new creative ideas and to gain further inspiration so it's a win win all round!😊
Thank you so much Lin for your kind comments about the project. I am glad you enjoyed the images.
I think you are definitely right about being true to ourselves and our creativity. Sometimes I wonder if I deviate too much whether I will lose clients (and that is always my main worry) but I think on balance it is more important to go with what we find inspiring. I also agree that Substack is a wonderful community to test the water and share things we might not otherwise. 🙂
First off, I loved the images. I went to Beacon Hill fort at Harwich a few years ago, and my aim was not to take pictures of rust and graffiti (though that was fun) but to try and get across the feeling of what it must have been like to be based there for years in WW2. I failed, but I thought it was worth the effort. Your series, and the chap book idea, gets so much closer.
I think the consensus of the comments below is to share whatever you feel proud of, and I would echo that. But one proviso maybe; it's easy for those of us who don't make a living out of photography to say that. Before I retired I helped run a small IT consultancy company and theoretically we could have done a huge range of work, but we consciously focused on just a couple of areas. The thinking was that customers get confused if they don't instantly know what you do, and they can't be bothered to work it out if it's difficult! Plus there's the Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none argument. So for a commercial photographer, the analogy would be to stick to a simple proposition for the commercial side of the business, but do what the heck you like elsewhere! But what do I know....
Mark Littlejohn, best known as a landscape photographer, has recently found a passion for pictures of kelp, and has published books and articles on the subject. Not being aware of his circumstances, I'm not sure whether that supports my argument or defeats it!
Thank you very much for your comments Mark, I am glad you enjoyed the images. I think these old buildings can make really interesting short projects so I hope you will get back out to Beacon Hill for another go sometime.
I agree with your comments about specialising and I think that is why I posed the question. The people who follow me do so presumably because they like my style of work, if I change that I run the risk of alienating these people. However, having said that, I do think work should evolve in whatever direction inspires the photographer. Mark Littlejohn is a great example of this and I think his kelp images are an interesting extension of his landscape work. I believe they make Mark a more accomplished photographer. They are not too far removed from his landscapes and are still part of nature so I think they compliment his work well. If he had diversified into photographing aircraft for example I believe this would have been a distraction from his original work.
What a great way to tell your story. I think the graphic designs of the page backgrounds work quite well for the most part. My only personal wish would be that the “Light” image was bigger as your lovely image at the small size it is presented as is a bit overshadowed (?) by the graphic background that is so large in comparison (I have old eyes). I really like the intent as well as the execution of this project and the “suggestion” is just my own nit-picking and point of view. 😊
Thank you very much for your comments and I actually agree. However I wanted the shapes to mirror the openings in the building which was why I made the coloured image so small. I think if I had spent more time on it I may have found a better balance. 🙂
Aha. I see! I get that now. I guess that’s the thing about presenting the final output: there are always so many options and things to communicate, many roads that can be taken. Thanks for explaining your intent, it makes me appreciate the shapes more and let go of the need to have that larger view of the image.
I love the blocks of grey and graphic design aspects of this project. It is an unusual (in a good way:)) layout for images and very creative!
Thank you very much Manuela, I am glad you enjoyed it.
Great photos Gill and using what is on the face of it a rather ordinary structure. Your ability to take the everyday and make art is very inspiring!
Thank you very much Sian, that is very kind of you to say so. I really enjoy creating little projects like this - it's always challenging but very satisfying.
A fascinating, original and instructive article Gill. Looking at my thousands of images over the last 20 years, its very obvious that I would go some where, take a few pictures and that was it - I now had a record of the place - lets find somewhere else. But over the last couple of years now we don't travel around South Wales as much (we've been there!!) I have been looking for a different approach and your comments and photos have made me think yet again. I wish I had your creativity.
As to your comment about the influence of other people, I have the following in a frame on my wall - "Be original, be yourself, produce the images that please you and do it to the best of your ability."
Thank you very much Bill and I especially like the quote.
I think there is a lot to be said for working locally and really getting to know a place by picking themes to guide image making. I find this way of working so much more satisfying and it is good for my creativity too. 🙂
Lovely pictures and good luck with the book
Thank you very much Deborah.
Got through a response and for some reason lost it in the ether!
Second try,
A very personal project, although inspired by others (the referenced posts also interesting) which I think works well. I had to look at the cover image in more detail to see the swallow, and wonder if this is a single capture, or a composite? Either way very striking.
You have a habit of asking the difficult questions, which from a purely amateur perspective are not easy to offer a definitive response, because I don't really have an audience or clients, and do not need, or need, or wish for, photography to be a significant income stream, so potentially more scope to shoot what I want when I want!
Having said that, like a previous comment, I would think that there is a potentially commercial side to your "chap books" if the cost could be maintained at a reasonable level, and perhaps produced as a series, so the purchaser is looking forward to the next issue! Much like your fortnightly blogs!😀
Thank you very much for your comments Chris, I am glad you enjoyed the post and are still enjoying the blogs after 2 years!
The cover image is one shot. I watched the swallows coming or going for a while and then knew which exits they liked to fly out from. I couldn't get any closer as I wanted the doorway to show in its entirety, but I think on a bigger screen the swallow shows up quite well.
I agree with your comments and think that whilst I should probably consider what my audience likes it is more authentic to share the work that appeals to me and which I am most proud of.
That cover image is fantastic!😀
Thank you.
This is a great and interesting project Gill, a lot of imagination and hard work must have gone into this. If people like what you post, that’s good, if not so what. This project also underpins the thought that one can find inspiration close to home rather than always having to travel far and wide to find it.
Thank you vey much for your comments George and I am glad you enjoyed the post. I think that is true, there are always so many opportunities to be explored close to home.