A personal reflection on the value of photography
I recently read an article (https://gillmoon.substack.com/p/the-value-of-photography-1da) by Gill Moon, a photographer I admire and from whom I draw inspiration.
Gill describes what the value of photography is to herself, and questions the value that other photographers have in their work, or offer to their community.
The article describes the deeper meaning that we can enjoy from capturing and sharing images. It asks what is the meaning or story behind our images and portfolio, and why photographers seek to photograph iconic vistas for which the images are often no different to many others, which Gill describes a ‘sterile’.
On first read, I took that article a little personally. OMG I thought. I go to iconic vistas and I post images online with little thought to a story therefore those images are ‘sterile’ images, and I have nothing to say, nothing to tell, WTF am I doing? I must be a right Doofus?
Then, once I moved to a ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ state, it made me really think about why I do what I do, what motivates me, what are my intentions, how does it compare to others, and what is the plan moving forwards.
So much thinking in fact, that I reached out to Gill for a chat, firstly to thank her for such a thought-provoking article and also to quickly chat about my thoughts. I was in a state of minor shock as this was questioning some of my outputs, my entire raison d’être as a photographer.
As usual, I decided to write a blog post about it as I find this is a really useful way to properly reflect and get the thoughts out of my head. So, let’s look at the points in the article and compare them to my own persona as a photographer.
Shifting from Competition to Connection
Moving away from awards
In the earlier days of her photographic journey, Gill used to value winning competitions, and gaining technical recognition. Nowadays, Gill more values having something meaningful to say over achieving accolades.
My reflection is that I’m in transition right now.
As it stands, I do still get pulled in to competitions and I’m proud of when I win them or gain recognition. However, I am recognising that technical competence was achieved a while ago, so now the judgement is shifting to impact of an image, perhaps it’s creativity or story, or something more, something different. But the subjective nature of judges, particularly a single judge does often grind one’s gears.
I have recently been questioning whether or not I will continue at all with competitions, certainly those within my camera club. I’m certainly feeling that competition success unassociated with my club as more rewarding.
The trap of iconic vistas
Gill’s view is that chasing famous locations just to copy familiar compositions can result in technically perfect but emotionally “sterile” images. Ouch! Sterile images? Yeah, there’s quite a lot in my portfolio. Guilty as charged M’Lud!
Why though? Why?
Well, when you’re learning this craft of photography you read and watch a lot of online tutorials and often the photographer is filming at iconic locations which creates a desire to go there.
There are often workshops on offer in those iconic locations. It becomes desirable to go there, emulate your favourite photographers and bag shots for yourself. To test your skills, your competence. You’re probably not thinking about the meaning or value, other than demonstrating technical competence.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” (Colton, 1820)
Oscar Wilde is credited with rewriting that phrase as “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”. Oh blimey, this isn’t getting any better is it? So not only am I creating sterile images, I’m trying to replicate the pro photographers by my mediocrity!
Personal iconic vista experiences
Like a lot of photographers, I’ve travelled to places on holiday with either a partial or full photography ambition in my sights. Let’s take one obvious example…
The Iceland experience
I wanted to go Iceland 2-3 years ago and decided to commit to going on a paid workshop with a pro photographer. It was a great experience. Visiting iconic and familiar locations was a pull, because I wanted similar images in my own portfolio. Yes, these images would inevitably be similar, but they would be mine, my own, my name stamped in the EXIF data. And I hoped to learn some more skills in a very different environment.
I am proud of those Iceland images, they are in my portfolio. But if I’m honest, they are no different to others. I had ticked a box photographically, but I’d also experienced a new country, met fellow photographic explorers, and learnt a lot in the engagement and camaraderie that is gleaned from spending time with other humans plus a landscape I hadn’t seen before with my own eyes.
Repeating the experience
I did not think I would ever return, but the opportunity came again, this time with some photography buddies. We did the same south coast routes with a new location thrown in. I set myself a target of grabbing “something different” and think I largely met that objective, though I did share more of those sterile images.
In terms of posting and sharing, there was a flurry of postings bereft of a personal story and a blatant message of here’s some images now in my portfolio, and a not-so-subtle request of please hit my dopamine top-up via the like button.
And it appears I’m going back a third time. So what’s different? Well, new locations, probably another set of portfolio additions, probably another series of sterile no-story images but experiences, camaraderie and memories that overrides all of that.
I will be trying harder for something different.
Light at the end of the tunnel
What I have noticed from some reflective thinking is that I’m branching out, more and more over time, from technically competent to more thoughtful and on many occasions creative and experimental image taking.
This new thought process is exciting as it moves away from rules and technical check lists to a vision of the location and its scenes, and a pondering of how I might be able to interpret what’s on offer. Can I serve up something intriguing?
Art vs. Craft
Gill cites a good reference (Christina Mittermeier) for artists having a philosophy and a distinct point of view as opposed to technical skill alone which makes someone a craftsman.
I would say that I am a practicing craftsman but I am now actively starting the journey towards wanting to be more of an artist. As a minimum it will be a hybrid, but no cravats will appear.
Learning the environment
Gill sees photography as a tool to deeply understand the landscape, its geology, bird calls and plant life. Here Here.
While I may not be self-conscious enough to actively do this myself, photography has really made me appreciate the outside world.
As someone who for years declared themselves as “Not a morning person”, I now regularly get up in the hourly hours for a sunrise. Watching the sun come up is an incredibly peaceful experience, made better by the company of good friends. A money can’t buy experience. And you can catch up on sleep when you’re home.
Often on a weekend, I can be home after a sunrise shoot before my partner is awake, slide back into bed and grab some shuteye before our day together starts. I remember an old friend of mine once said “You can sleep when you’re dead…” (Extreme but true).
Finding a voice
Gill promotes the benefits of visiting your local area often to capture it in different ways, to better understand and connect with it and move away from random portfolios to purposeful bodies of work that advocate for nature.
In reflecting on my portfolio, I cannot see me shifting in the short-term to this wholesome position. I enjoy the variety of my photography too much, new and existing places excite me. I still want to visit some of these iconic vista locations.
I will very likely still grab the “done before” scenes but I most definitely will want to capture something unique to me.
Branching out
What I am doing is stretching myself and learning new things.
I’m actively doing more project work. This year, I pushed myself to create some triptychs and I’ve been doing a lot more with ICM and multiple exposures.
I believe I am moving more towards artist than craftsman, but this isn’t going to happen overnight.
We’re all individuals
This reflective article also reminds us that we’re all individuals.
Copying well-known photographers isn’t against the law, and it’s how we learn our trade, our hobby or pastime. But it can risk repetitiveness, copycat traits, unimaginative output, staleness and lack the individuality that defines our position on a photourapraphic journey.
The photographic journey
In reflecting on my own position as a photographer, it occurred to me that the (somewhat cheesy) word “journey” is what we’re all on.
By her own admission, Gill’s journey started with competitions and recognition and is now with connection to her locality and nature.
Other people will be at different parts of their own journey, their mileage may vary. Some may move along the same journey, and some may stay static, and some may move forward or backward.
I’m going to try and highlight my photographic journey to see if I can plot a typical travel itinerary for the photographer – see below.
What does AI think?
I thought I’d ask AI what it makes of my photography which might be unfair as it went looking at my website and blog moreover social media.
Below is an AI (Google Gemini in this instance) report on my photography:
His gallery captures the atmospheric beauty of the British coastline, particularly around Norfolk and Suffolk, alongside trips to places such as Iceland and the Peak District. Behind his serene, high contrast, and often moody images are stories of local history, maritime mysteries, and meticulous planning around natural light.
Apart from the meticulous planning which isn’t quite right, I’m happy with that. Seems like I’ve got a lot of stories, just not often alongside the images themselves posted on social media.
Closing thoughts
Gill’s article stimulated my thinking and provoked a feeling for me, for which she should be congratulated. It’s made me reflect on why I may post “sterile” images (hopefully occasionally rather than always) which are not to Gill’s taste or value chain, but they remain with a purpose for me.
Whether that purpose be just to share, the initial dopamine hit of increasingly lower likes, sharing amongst mostly my own photographic community, adding to my portfolio such that I can look back for potential candidates for competition entries, or a chronological timeline of what I’ve done as a sort of digital journal. There are many diverse reasons which are personal to me.
Hopefully this has been an interesting read if not a ramble or waffle but either way, you made it to the end, so thank you.
Onwards and upwards…