Firstly, beautiful photos Gil. I love the pastel tones. The word sublime comes to mind.
This is all very interesting. I have to say, your list is very closely aligned with my own.
I gave some thought to this recently as I listened to a Photowalk podcast episode which you can find at https://photowalk.show/episodes/sean-tucker-podcast-creative-thinking in which they discuss using a 5 point star to identify 5 aspects of your approach to photography. After some thought, I came up with beauty, natural light, local, fun and clever. Perhaps clever should be imaginative, but my best photographs often have some sort of hook or uniqueness to them which grabs the viewer's attention and makes these images stand out from the rest, so that's what I was thinking of, not that I think I'm particularly clever. I like your interpretation of the word connection. I tend to think of the audience or viewer when I think of that word, but you are right. Without a relationship to your photographic subject, there is nothing much to express, so it is by necessity, a primary element. Having two more words to work with might ease the burden of narrowing the list down so much.
Thank you so much for your comments John and for the podcast link. I am a big fan of Sean Tucker and find his work and philosophy around photography very inspiring, so I will be sure to have a listen.
I enjoyed reading about your photography and the 5 aspects that you identified as being important to your own work. The first three are very aligned to my own, and the last two are much more unique to you. Thank you for sharing
As much as it may seem inconsequential, I definitely think there is a value to thinking about our work and how we approach it.
Not inconsequential at all, and certainly not time wasted. Since coming to Substack recently I have been thinking about my photography more than ever. Putting words to paper, erm… screen, turns out to be very important in developing a sense of purpose. This has long been missing in my approach to photography. My ‘words’ will likely change over time, but the exercise helps to inform the why of my photography. I find that Sean’s podcast, another recent discovery, is all about the why.
Absolutely, lovely, Gill!! I adore fog and mist-filled mornings, especially! Your pictures are gorgeous and, yes, ethereal. I am an amateur photographer, at best, but the fun is in all the practice. And so, like you, its hard to imagine whether photography developed (no pun intended-hahaha) my love for nature or the Beauty inherent in nature and my desire to capture it in more than just my memory led me to photography. It may well be both, and that is wonderful!! Thanks for sharing!! XO
Thank you so much for your kind comments Danielle. I think in my case my love for nature came first and that played into how my photography developed. I think the two compliment each other perfectly and as such we grow as photographers and naturalists. 🙂
That Two Trees image is so good. I saw another comment has mentioned the word that came to me - Sublime. As you say, much of this look is the result of the conditions you like to shoot in. My question is whether you choose the conditions to get the look you like, or the look developed from the conditions you prefer?
Thank you so much for your really good question James.
I think originally the look has grown from going out in the conditions that I like. I have always enjoyed tranquil mornings and the peace and beauty that comes with them. I think as time has gone on my processing style has evolved and I am always looking for that inner beauty in a landscape that I can bring out in my processing no matter what the conditions.
I hope that makes sense - it feels a bit hard to articulate properly 🙂
Thanks Gill for sharing your sources of inspiration. There are quite a few names there I don't know so I will try to find time to check some of them out.
Picking up on the idea of "connection" I think the process of taking photographs somewhere definitely makes me as the photographer feel more connected to the place, especially if I go back to the same places to photograph them in different conditions. I think it's to do with things like slowing down, taking your time to compose shots and trying to find images that capture the essence of the place. But I wonder if someone else looking at the resulting pictures could really tell the difference between shots taken by a good photographer who feels a real connection to the place and visits regularly and a good photographer who has just rolled up for the first time and used their technical and observational skill to create great pictures. How would they be different? Perhaps in some cases in the choice of precise subject and composition because of having more familiarity with the location, but otherwise I'm not sure. I suppose what I'm wondering is how "connection" shows in the pictures or if the word is more describing the photographer's own experience of creating them.
I hope it doesn't sound like I am challenging your word. I'm not, I'm finding it thought provoking.
Thank you so much for your comments Sarah, they have really made me think in a good way.
I think in part this comes down to whether you are an emotional photographer (ie one with a connection to what you are photographing) or a more technical photographer (who is more concerned with the finer points of their composition). In my experience if you have a connection with the landscape you will feel an emotion towards it and you will want to portray that in your shot. The emotion will play out in how you compose the shot but more importantly how you process it afterwards. So if you are feeling joy or love for a landscape you may want to bring out a light and bright feel in your image if that is appropriate. If you don't feel a connection with your subject how will you be able to put any emotion in your image? What feelings will you be able to draw on when you are post processing your image? I think a lot of the emotion in an image comes from how you deal with it afterwards, and if you have no connection with your subject I am not sure how you do that effectively.
I also think that connection fosters understanding and the better you understand a landscape the better you will be able to portray it in an image.
I have been out with clients who have stood in front of a scene and told me they didn't understand what they were supposed to be photographing - they couldn't 'see' an image and I think that is because they couldn't find a connection with the landscape - they were blind to the possibilities in front of them. I think connection opens your eyes.
I hope that makes sense - it is really hard to articulate! 🙂
A very thought inspiring blog Gill, which I’ve been mulling over the past few days. Three words is indeed a challenge and I think are likely to change slightly over time. Right now I’d probably say Nature, Story and Colour. The latter because I’m being drawn to stronger colours as I get older, but wanting to balance that with what I actually see in the landscape (a bit of a battle 😂)! Having said this I think your colour palette is very calming and really reflects the beauty of nature.
Thank you very much David, I am glad it has made you think about your own work. I love your chosen words and can see that they fit your photography well. I think they align well with my own words but my colour choice would be more subtle than vibrant.
I hope the process gave you a better insight into your own work and how it is developing. 🙂
Another great, thought provoking article Gill - it reminded me too of Sean Tucker and Neale James 5 point star to narrow the focus on our approach to photography from the Photowalk podcast...two words is even harder! Beauty and local are the ones that come immediately to mind - I have been told I try to see the beauty in everything no matter how mundane! But I would also say 'anytime' - as I'm quite happy to make images at any time of day! Your list of photographers and writers certainly reflect your approach - I also love early John Lewis Stempel books such as Meadowland, The Wood and The Running Hare for wonderful nature reads.
Thank you very much Lin, I am glad you enjoyed it. I still haven't had a chance to listen to the Photowalk podcast but I will definitely make time as I always enjoy listening to Sean Tucker.
I love your choice of words, they are very aligned with my own. I found it a useful exercise but not an easy one.
I love nature writing and have read Meadowland but none of his other books. There is so much wonderful writing out there that it is hard to find time to read everything that interests me!
I think personal statements are important. They feel awkward to create, all that public introspection. I ran a business many years. You have no idea how many consultants get paid beacoup $$$ to help businesses reduce their business model to a sentence or two. It can be a long and excruciating process to translate what you feel in your gut to an objective, somewhat quantifiable concept.
It seems to me that your images have a very consistent palette, or tonal range. There is a certain signature style, which many strive for, yet few achieve. Well done. But.... two words!? Tall order. Makes you think, and that is perhaps enough.
Thank you very much for your comments Søren. I agree two or three words is a tall order but it is a fun exercise to contemplate. It definitely made me think a bit more about my own work and what that says about me.
This is such a great way to understand your own photography better and define your own artistic voice. Thought provoking read! Now I wonder what my words would be?
Thank you very much Susanne. I am glad you enjoyed it. I found choosing my words really interesting and it definitely helped me understand my photography and motivation a bit better. Good luck with finding your own words! 🙂
I would feel very hard pressed to come up with three words of my own, but I feel right in line with what you wrote about connection. Stunning photos, as always!
Thank you very much Brenda, I am feeling much better now. I am glad you enjoyed the article and the video link. Good luck with finding your own three words. 🙂
What a wonderful way to think about one's own style and approach to photography, using just three words. The first three words that jump to mind for me are Story, Graphic and Composition. But i'm going to give this some thought. Thank you!
Thank you very much for your comments Simon and for sharing your words. They suggest that your photography is full of meaning and purpose which is great. It's not an easy challenge to distill your work into three words but it is an interesting one to undertake. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
What a poetic way to think about photography--and any art form that helps express what's invisible inside a person's imagination and motivation. Today I choose: Intimate & Hyper-seasonal.
What great words Ann, thank you for sharing. I think they describe your work really well. It's an interesting challenge and one which I enjoyed thinking about.
Firstly, beautiful photos Gil. I love the pastel tones. The word sublime comes to mind.
This is all very interesting. I have to say, your list is very closely aligned with my own.
I gave some thought to this recently as I listened to a Photowalk podcast episode which you can find at https://photowalk.show/episodes/sean-tucker-podcast-creative-thinking in which they discuss using a 5 point star to identify 5 aspects of your approach to photography. After some thought, I came up with beauty, natural light, local, fun and clever. Perhaps clever should be imaginative, but my best photographs often have some sort of hook or uniqueness to them which grabs the viewer's attention and makes these images stand out from the rest, so that's what I was thinking of, not that I think I'm particularly clever. I like your interpretation of the word connection. I tend to think of the audience or viewer when I think of that word, but you are right. Without a relationship to your photographic subject, there is nothing much to express, so it is by necessity, a primary element. Having two more words to work with might ease the burden of narrowing the list down so much.
Thank you so much for your comments John and for the podcast link. I am a big fan of Sean Tucker and find his work and philosophy around photography very inspiring, so I will be sure to have a listen.
I enjoyed reading about your photography and the 5 aspects that you identified as being important to your own work. The first three are very aligned to my own, and the last two are much more unique to you. Thank you for sharing
As much as it may seem inconsequential, I definitely think there is a value to thinking about our work and how we approach it.
Not inconsequential at all, and certainly not time wasted. Since coming to Substack recently I have been thinking about my photography more than ever. Putting words to paper, erm… screen, turns out to be very important in developing a sense of purpose. This has long been missing in my approach to photography. My ‘words’ will likely change over time, but the exercise helps to inform the why of my photography. I find that Sean’s podcast, another recent discovery, is all about the why.
Absolutely, lovely, Gill!! I adore fog and mist-filled mornings, especially! Your pictures are gorgeous and, yes, ethereal. I am an amateur photographer, at best, but the fun is in all the practice. And so, like you, its hard to imagine whether photography developed (no pun intended-hahaha) my love for nature or the Beauty inherent in nature and my desire to capture it in more than just my memory led me to photography. It may well be both, and that is wonderful!! Thanks for sharing!! XO
Thank you so much for your kind comments Danielle. I think in my case my love for nature came first and that played into how my photography developed. I think the two compliment each other perfectly and as such we grow as photographers and naturalists. 🙂
That Two Trees image is so good. I saw another comment has mentioned the word that came to me - Sublime. As you say, much of this look is the result of the conditions you like to shoot in. My question is whether you choose the conditions to get the look you like, or the look developed from the conditions you prefer?
Thank you so much for your really good question James.
I think originally the look has grown from going out in the conditions that I like. I have always enjoyed tranquil mornings and the peace and beauty that comes with them. I think as time has gone on my processing style has evolved and I am always looking for that inner beauty in a landscape that I can bring out in my processing no matter what the conditions.
I hope that makes sense - it feels a bit hard to articulate properly 🙂
Thanks Gill for sharing your sources of inspiration. There are quite a few names there I don't know so I will try to find time to check some of them out.
Picking up on the idea of "connection" I think the process of taking photographs somewhere definitely makes me as the photographer feel more connected to the place, especially if I go back to the same places to photograph them in different conditions. I think it's to do with things like slowing down, taking your time to compose shots and trying to find images that capture the essence of the place. But I wonder if someone else looking at the resulting pictures could really tell the difference between shots taken by a good photographer who feels a real connection to the place and visits regularly and a good photographer who has just rolled up for the first time and used their technical and observational skill to create great pictures. How would they be different? Perhaps in some cases in the choice of precise subject and composition because of having more familiarity with the location, but otherwise I'm not sure. I suppose what I'm wondering is how "connection" shows in the pictures or if the word is more describing the photographer's own experience of creating them.
I hope it doesn't sound like I am challenging your word. I'm not, I'm finding it thought provoking.
Thank you so much for your comments Sarah, they have really made me think in a good way.
I think in part this comes down to whether you are an emotional photographer (ie one with a connection to what you are photographing) or a more technical photographer (who is more concerned with the finer points of their composition). In my experience if you have a connection with the landscape you will feel an emotion towards it and you will want to portray that in your shot. The emotion will play out in how you compose the shot but more importantly how you process it afterwards. So if you are feeling joy or love for a landscape you may want to bring out a light and bright feel in your image if that is appropriate. If you don't feel a connection with your subject how will you be able to put any emotion in your image? What feelings will you be able to draw on when you are post processing your image? I think a lot of the emotion in an image comes from how you deal with it afterwards, and if you have no connection with your subject I am not sure how you do that effectively.
I also think that connection fosters understanding and the better you understand a landscape the better you will be able to portray it in an image.
I have been out with clients who have stood in front of a scene and told me they didn't understand what they were supposed to be photographing - they couldn't 'see' an image and I think that is because they couldn't find a connection with the landscape - they were blind to the possibilities in front of them. I think connection opens your eyes.
I hope that makes sense - it is really hard to articulate! 🙂
A very thought inspiring blog Gill, which I’ve been mulling over the past few days. Three words is indeed a challenge and I think are likely to change slightly over time. Right now I’d probably say Nature, Story and Colour. The latter because I’m being drawn to stronger colours as I get older, but wanting to balance that with what I actually see in the landscape (a bit of a battle 😂)! Having said this I think your colour palette is very calming and really reflects the beauty of nature.
Thank you very much David, I am glad it has made you think about your own work. I love your chosen words and can see that they fit your photography well. I think they align well with my own words but my colour choice would be more subtle than vibrant.
I hope the process gave you a better insight into your own work and how it is developing. 🙂
Another great, thought provoking article Gill - it reminded me too of Sean Tucker and Neale James 5 point star to narrow the focus on our approach to photography from the Photowalk podcast...two words is even harder! Beauty and local are the ones that come immediately to mind - I have been told I try to see the beauty in everything no matter how mundane! But I would also say 'anytime' - as I'm quite happy to make images at any time of day! Your list of photographers and writers certainly reflect your approach - I also love early John Lewis Stempel books such as Meadowland, The Wood and The Running Hare for wonderful nature reads.
Thank you very much Lin, I am glad you enjoyed it. I still haven't had a chance to listen to the Photowalk podcast but I will definitely make time as I always enjoy listening to Sean Tucker.
I love your choice of words, they are very aligned with my own. I found it a useful exercise but not an easy one.
I love nature writing and have read Meadowland but none of his other books. There is so much wonderful writing out there that it is hard to find time to read everything that interests me!
Really nice photos Gil. Also important insights, really made me reflect on my own practice.
Thank you very much Sara, I am glad you enjoyed it.
Undisciplined and Curious.
That would be me!
I love that!
Curiosity is such a great trait to have as a photographer and in life in general - it leads you everywhere. 🙂
Great! I hope you don't mind if i lift this idea and share three words of my own! This is a great exercise to take on.
Not at all Mark, I hope you enjoy finding your own three words.
I think it is a really interesting exercise and makes you think a lot about your own photography.
I think personal statements are important. They feel awkward to create, all that public introspection. I ran a business many years. You have no idea how many consultants get paid beacoup $$$ to help businesses reduce their business model to a sentence or two. It can be a long and excruciating process to translate what you feel in your gut to an objective, somewhat quantifiable concept.
It seems to me that your images have a very consistent palette, or tonal range. There is a certain signature style, which many strive for, yet few achieve. Well done. But.... two words!? Tall order. Makes you think, and that is perhaps enough.
Thank you very much for your comments Søren. I agree two or three words is a tall order but it is a fun exercise to contemplate. It definitely made me think a bit more about my own work and what that says about me.
This is such a great way to understand your own photography better and define your own artistic voice. Thought provoking read! Now I wonder what my words would be?
Thank you very much Susanne. I am glad you enjoyed it. I found choosing my words really interesting and it definitely helped me understand my photography and motivation a bit better. Good luck with finding your own words! 🙂
I would feel very hard pressed to come up with three words of my own, but I feel right in line with what you wrote about connection. Stunning photos, as always!
Thank you very much Erik. I quite enjoyed the challenge of thinking of my three words, although I am not sure it was time well spent! 😆
Lovely article Gill! And so many things to take away and think about. I also enjoyed the video link beautiful work and philosophy.
My three words? not sure yet going to go away and think about that! Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you very much Brenda, I am feeling much better now. I am glad you enjoyed the article and the video link. Good luck with finding your own three words. 🙂
What a wonderful way to think about one's own style and approach to photography, using just three words. The first three words that jump to mind for me are Story, Graphic and Composition. But i'm going to give this some thought. Thank you!
Thank you very much for your comments Simon and for sharing your words. They suggest that your photography is full of meaning and purpose which is great. It's not an easy challenge to distill your work into three words but it is an interesting one to undertake. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
What a poetic way to think about photography--and any art form that helps express what's invisible inside a person's imagination and motivation. Today I choose: Intimate & Hyper-seasonal.
What great words Ann, thank you for sharing. I think they describe your work really well. It's an interesting challenge and one which I enjoyed thinking about.
Morning gill sounds like the read has done you well great to pick up on things need to find some more books
Best wishes great read I look forward to it on a Monday very much
Pat
Thank you very much Pat, I am glad you are enjoying my posts. The book gave me lots to think about. 🙂