B&W Photograpy Magazine (Feature)

It was very pleasing to have some of my ‘Dolomiti Dreamscapes’ featured in the latest Black & White Photography Magazine. I’ve always enjoyed the variety and quality of this magazine which if I’m honest is the only photography magazine I consider worthwhile these days. They feature a broad cross-section of genres and in my opinion this keeps it refreshingly engaging.

There are 7 images featured in total including 3 full-page prints which have come out quite nicely. It’s always slightly worrying when your images are being printed on a different media/paper than what you’ve tested before. Will they render differently, too dark, too light?! As it happens the curiosity with the Dreamscapes is that depending on the paper type these always reveal new features in the textures which is great.

If you’d like to see the full collection please check out this page on my website. Alternatively if you’d like to see them all in print (and support my work) there are still a small number of Dreamscapes books available here in my store.

Queen Merisana - International Women's Day 2021

A little story about the Dolomites forest queen Merisana and her bridal-veil on #IWD2021...

Despite being the ruler of many lands, forests, lakes and rivers she could not feel happy because others within her realm still suffered. Whilst passing through her region, a travelling King (Rey de Rayes) caught site of her and was immediately transfixed by her beauty, so much so that he could not believe she was real in the passing glimpse he had.

A year passed and he could not shake that brief glimpse of Merisana so he headed back to find her again. Upon doing so he asked for her hand in marriage to which she replied "I cannot say no, but before we can marry every being must find happiness, obtain that for me and I will be yours".

Word soon spread amongst men and animals and they all consulted in how they could honour Merisana on her wedding day. To show their gratitude for this gift of happiness many brought huge bouquets of flowers and plants. Overwhelmed with bouquets, some hard working Dwarves decided to make a tree of them, this became the larch tree.

However, the tree soon began to wither so Merisana said she would sacrifice her bridal-veil which was made of fine green tissue. Immediately the larch began to sprout and flourish, the bridal-veil growing into it.

When the larch trees begin their awakening in spring, the 'bridal-veil' can clearly be seen on the tops of its branches. The veil of Merisana, forest queen of the Pale Mountains.

Thank you to ALL the amazing women who bring happiness, whether you are a forest queen or not :)

Podcast Interview (Biblioscapes)

I was recently invited onto the ‘Biblioscapes’ podcast (above) to discuss my Mesozoic photo book. The podcast is run by a fellow photographer called Euan Ross who discusses photo books and all things photographic with his guests on the show. He’s also got a great website showing video walkthroughs of a wide range of photographic books that he has collected over the years.

We discussed how I got into photography, the Mesozoic project in more detail, self-publishing books, what I’m working on these days and much more. As part of the show he also asks his guests to briefly discuss 3 photo books by other photographers that have influenced them or that they particularly admire. I’ve listed my 3 below with a few notes on why I choose them:

1. ‘Analogies’ by Stuart Franklin: This is a very interesting book by the Magnum photographer Stuart Franklin. It explores visual cues and metaphors in the landscape (man made and natural) and how we respond to them.

2. ‘Another Life’ by Nick Danziger: Over a period of 15 years Nick Danziger visited 8 different countries to explore the success (or not) of the millenium goals set-out by the UN.

3. ‘Arc & Line’ by Charlie Waite: In my view this is a great example of the work of Charlie Waite over a number of years. Exceptional compositions exploring the aesthetic side of photography’s possibilities.

I hope you get chance to check out the podcast and subscribe to hear from other photographers in the future.

LiveStream Sessions - Tuesdays 8pm

We all know 2020 has been a difficult and simply weird year! We have all had to adapt and change our ways of communicating and connecting. Since the Summer I’ve been running a weekly LiveStream session on the Light & Land Facebook page. The team at L&L wanted to reach out and connect with their audience in a ‘new normal’ way and I put my hand up to host the sessions and take the viewers on ‘virtual tours’ around the world with various co-leaders.

We started out with Joe Cornish and Charlie Waite in week 1 & 2 and have since gone on to explore locations and images from the Lake District, Jordan, New York, Stockholm, Slovenia, Italy, Romania and many more. As well as the ‘virtual tours’ we’ve also been doing some creative editing session with myself and Adrian Beasley. And, I also run a monthly ‘Pixel to Print’ session where I discuss the creation of an image from location all the way through to a final live print!

‘Inner Landscapes’ - Shooting Local & Lockdown Projects LiveStream

LAST WEEK: Margaret Soraya (in the 1st half) and I (in the 2nd half) discussed shooting locally (very useful in a Lockdown!) and also a couple of projects we embarked on during the first Lockdown here in the UK. Our work is quite different and so is our approach in some ways, BUT in many other ways it’s very similar as we seek to make engaging and meaningful work.

If you fancy joining in live you can find the sessions on the Light & Land Facebook page and we’re also now streaming at 1080HD to YouTube for the best image quality.

NEXT WEEK: On Tuesday 17th November (8pm UK) I welcome Charlie Waite to the next LiveStream. He’ll be discussing some images from his archives and chatting about the importance of looking back, assessing your images and noting how you have changed your visual approach. Join us live via Facebook, or via the this YouTube post to ask questions and interact with myself and Charlie.

Fathers Day Reflections: More Than An Image...

Some of you closest to me know that sadly my Dad passed away earlier this year. Being the soft (ahem!) Northern romantic that he was, he picked Valentines Day as his time to leave us - he never did like it! In the subsequent weeks myself and the family were going through some old photos and looking back over Dad's career and work life. It got me thinking just how important images (and printing) can be for all of us, and how perhaps as some of us landscape photographers chase our 'created images' we shouldn't forget to take a few 'pictures' along the way...

Dad at work...

After leaving Music College in Manchester my Dad went on to be a professional Trumpet player and musical arranger. After a period of playing he also moved into teaching and specifically he set up the Manchester Youth Stage Band which was the only band of its kind in the North and mirrored the National Youth Jazz Orchestra which was very much centered around the South. The subsequent huge success of the band led to him appearing in certain Newspaper articles and it's with great joy that not only did we still have the original cuttings but also some of the prints that were made at the time by the photographer - well done that photographer!!

Without these prints being made at the time I wouldn't have been able to scan them and store them for generations to come. I can even re-print them as necessary, and although this particular picture (above) is a posed photo for a press photographer it also tells a story nicely about Dad. It sets the scene of what he does, Trumpet lying to the side and music manuscript on the desk. And for those who knew up him best the familiar left hand holding of the pen can bring back memories of him working away at home around the family.

Dad pointing at the bread...and why not!

Among some of the press images we stumbled across this beauty (above) - none of us ever got the story of why he was pointing at the bread but no doubt it was an advertisement or similar in the local paper. On the surface it's a light-hearted picture to cherish but for me I can see that smile on his face that I also saw all through his life and even into the final days. Again, the importance of this being printed at the time and stored away can't be underestimated for us now to reflect upon.

I for one am very guilty of partitioning my photography into solo trips into the landscape, it's very rare that I'd have my camera out at a family gathering. With young nieces this is surely a shame because I should be utilising my skills to capture moments of their youth that they can enjoy in many years to come. It's so alien to how I would normally work photographically but that's the point, it isn't work, it isn't a job, we should all feel no pressure to just shoot away in those circumstances, even with just our smartphones. And, let's all make sure we do some printing so we can keep these memories for years and generations to come...

If you're seeing your Father, Dad, Old Man (whatever you want to call him!) today, why not make sure you grab a picture or two for the future :)

Sam

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Five ways to blow £2,000 improving your landscape photography...

With the release today of the NEW Canon 6DMKII it got me thinking, if you have a cool £2k burning a hole in your photographic pocket what's the best way to invest it in your image making progression & enjoyment as a landscape photographer? Here's a few options...

1. Buy a Canon 6D MKII

As a Canon 6D (original) owner I have been conscious that my poor old boy might be superseded at any given moment. In fact, when I bought mine for just under £1,000 (thanks Cashback offer!) a couple of years ago it already occurred to me that I was buying something that would soon be replaced, BUT I had the money, I 'needed' a better camera and I bought it and have been very happy since, it's a very capable bit of kit, even in a culpable pair of hands.

So, the obvious question is - in the hubbub of promotion and advertising, should I blow my sadly imaginary £2k on the new model, ahead of any other investment?

The Verdict:

Boasting an improved sensor based on the newest Canon design this 6D MKII 'should' possibly give me more detail and more dynamic range and quality. I will never know this without buying it though, and that's a bit of a problem. I could possibly hire one for a few days but it always feels like money you could have invested in buying. Will it improve my compositions? Will it enthuse my creative juices and expand my artistic vision? No, is the blunt answer but we mustn't be too harsh, the kit needs to be good enough to help us realise and execute our aesthetic vision.

The new 6D MKII also has an ISO to 102,400 (expanded) so when I get booked to shoot that series of gigs in a cave with candle lighting I should be ready to rock...I won't hold my breath, we all know that once you go past around 6400 things start getting a bit sketchy. It also features a 45 point AF system - as someone who only ever uses the central point, and actually more often than not I use manual focus, I really can't get excited about this for landscape & outdoor photography. I'm not shooting birds, or formula 1, and on the odd occasion I've had to do commercial shoots with people I've found the 6D to be perfectly capable as it is.

The final main tech change (at a glance) is the articulated screen. I must admit on occasion, when in a tight or uncomfortable spot and I'm precariously balanced on a rock by the sea or similar I could find this useful, also when shooting video it can be preferential - but it's not a deal breaker.

2. Go on a Workshop or Tour

Depending on who you go with I reckon £2k could get you a 4-6 day workshop to a fairly interesting location. Just looking around briefly it could take you to:

• New York (Light & Land): Charlie Waite & Paul Sanders (sadly fully booked for 2017!)
• Isle of Harris (Bruce Percy): Mentoring workshop (also fully booked for 2017!)
• Tuscany (David Clapp): At £1,649 you've got some spare spending money!
• South Africa (Alex Nail): Get off the beaten track and have an adventure!

These are just some quick examples but all are in great locations, and most importantly are with experienced photographers and leaders, whether you're looking for classic landscapes, cityscapes or a slice of adventure. There are many options out there so do explore!

It always amazes me that this niche world we operate in is so accessible. I've used the analogy before but imagine being into football and being able to go on a training course with Messi or Ronaldo for 5 days with a handful of other people and it costs under £2k - mind blowingly impossible!!

The Verdict:

I've been on a handful of workshops in my time, some more useful than others. But, on all of them I learned something, perhaps some technical development, or a new approach to 'seeing' or indeed useful post processing tips. Whatever it is you will learn something, plus you get to see a new location and meet some other like minded folk. What value on just indulging in photography for a few days - priceless! (well actually it's a few hundred quid as a minimum).

It may depend on your experience level, or if you really enjoy and admire the work of one photographer. Why not meet them and see how they work and let them give you some help. Even if you are very experienced there's always something new to know.

3. Take a 1-2-1 or Portfolio Review

Slightly different to taking a workshop here. I'm talking about either a day or two in a 1-2-1 situation (of which you could probably afford a few different options), or perhaps submitting your portfolio to a range of photographers for some critiquing, or taking a closer look (sorry about the picture below!)

The Verdict:

This is a different vibe to a workshop where you will be in a group environment, this has its pros & cons. With your £2k you could probably organise some one or two day sessions with two or three different photographers. Let's say two for arguments sake once you add in travel and food etc.

Although you would have less days out than on a workshop you'd probably get as much, or more individual help and focus. This short sharp burst of assistance could really open your eyes to new techniques, different ways to approach image making, or mastering some technical element you've struggled with. Don't be afraid to really invest in yourself and get expert assistance!

The other option is submitting your work to few different photographers for portfolio reviews. The worry with this is showing 5 or 6 people may lead to some broad comments that could leave you without focus, or you may see common threads in the critique which could easily point you in the right direction...something to consider at least. You could send one and save most of your ££!

4. Travel

Let's say you're feeling pretty assured, you may already have a good grasp of what you're trying to do with your photography or you just enjoy the escapism and don't want to be in a group. I reckon for £2k you could have a pretty great time traveling yourself and making a strong collection of images:

Here's a sample itinerary to stimulate the mind:

• Plane from London to Scotland (£99)
• 5 nights in The Highlands (£600-£700 inc.food)
• Plane from Scotland to Venice (£149)
• 3 nights in Venice (£500-£600 inc.food)
• Train to Tuscany (£40)
• 2 nights in Tuscany (£250)
• Flight back to London (£175)

The Verdict:

Depending on your travel tastes and style this may or may not be (a) possible and (b) float your boat, but you get the idea. You could go off piste a bit more and try some less 'classic' locations. I know my friend and colleague from The Togcast (Photography Podcast) Paul Sanders has been exploring Albania & Romania for example. You could also get over to South America and back (just!) so the world is your oyster!

I personally find that traveling alone is when I'm at my best photographically. With a very loose itinerary it's even better, just allowing me to find locations, re-visit them and just imbibe the atmosphere and get to know somewhere. Check out this portfolio I made in Scotland with a £250 film camera! Perhaps even try shooting some candid portraits of the locals, or just sit on a mountain for 6hrs watching the light, it's up to you and you probably have a decent enough camera to catch it all already. You may also find this total immersion does wonders for your creative eye.

5. Alternative Equipment - Go Retro!

Ok, so this is a bit of a twist on No.1 but I'll try and make a valid argument for it below. Pictured is a Hasselblad 500 series film camera, used by some of the masters of photography, your £2k could buy you a Hasselblad 500CC with 2 or 3 lenses and leave you enough spare dosh for a roll of film or two and some processing. That's a Swedish made top end body (revered by many) + lenses for the price of a mass produced digital body only.

The Verdict:

So how would this help your development? For a start it would make you slow down and appreciate the value of each image. When it costs a few quid per shot (after taking into account film/development/scanning) you soon start to cut down on wasted shots and take a little extra time over each composition and asking yourself "is this really a great shot?" before you hit that shutter (oh and what a sexy shutter the Hasselblad has by the way - kerchunk!!).

With a good scan you can blow 26.2 MegaPixels out of the water for re-production purposes and can anything really beat that authentic film look? Perhaps the fact you're slowing down and becoming more selective may also improve your eye and own self-critiquing before the shutter is released, knowing when not to shoot is as important as knowing when to shoot here.

However, it's still a piece of kit - and pieces of kit only produce when you are somewhere, so perhaps only go for this option if you've got your travel or workshop already booked ;)

The Summary

You've got to do what feels best for you! First off, ask yourself if you get out enough and if you do then check out what gear you have and if you feel it's really holding you back or affecting your image making chances negatively - if so, explore those new cameras!

If, like many, your main challenge is actually getting out enough or indeed wanting to really improve your art then perhaps you could consider the other options.

The final option is to give me your £2k and I'll happily spend it for you!