One Year On
The 1st August is Yorkshire Day. This is a relatively recent creation, designed to promote all that is great from ‘Gods Own Country’ as many in all parts of Yorkshire may refer to it as. Yorkshire is in fact four areas North, East, West, South that come together as the largest combined geographical area in England. I was born in York, grew up in Kent in the south east of England and then returned to Yorkshire 37 years ago.
Why am I telling you all this in a photography blog ? Mainly it’s because the 1st August also happens to be the 1st anniversary of me breaking my ankle.
This accident and subsequent recovery have affected both my fledgling business, my mobility and how I approach my work. It’s fair to say I did quite a spectacular job in breaking my ankle in three places. I now have more metalwork in my ankle than a small set of Meccano. I am still wary of going too off road particularly in slippery downhill spots. I lost at least four potential studio shoots as my 12 week absence, put paid to the clients desire for me to do the work. So what else has changed in that intervening 12 months?
Camera gear and brands have swapped from Nikon to Canon. It’s more of a return to be honest. I had a brief dalliance with Sony but I just coudnt’t get on with the camera system. I have gone to Canon’s mirrorless system , supported by up until today, Canon DSLRs. We were in Northumberland earlier this week and I realised, the DSLR lenses were so bulky and heavy, It made lugging them around a pain. I decided to sell all my DSLR kit and invest that money in good Canon RF glass. It is lighter, works better with the EOS R system cameras and enables me to travel easier with a kit. I love Canon colours and to my eye, the colours remain true to the classics of the DSLR era.
My life in photography seems to be a never-ending quest for the perfect kit. Canon comes pretty close and their lenses are just superb. I can’t blame the gear for any off days I experience currently. I can’t blame the fact we’re in the process of moving house either although it is difficult to concentrate on the art form I love with talk of solicitors, searches and all that going on. I can’t blame my ankle for my reluctance to throw myself as enthusiastically into my work. I am fully mobile. I can walk for miles without pain or inconvenience and even though it aches a little the next day, it is perfectly manageable.
Currently, I seem to be struggling with editing my photographs. I have concluded that I am overthinking the whole process, doubt has crept into me and I know, I can produce a decent image but it isn’t what I’m striving for. A year ago, I created images with more freedom as if it didn’t matter (even though it obviously did). I had a brief period earlier this year, when that freedom returned but something has switched since my accident back in 2024. I don’t know why a fracture would change my mental or visual approach to taking photos. Maybe I am trying to take the images that I think people want and ignoring the ones I am good at. I have said before that I don’t consider myself as a landscape photographer. I am more a street or reportage/documentary photographer. It’s what I consider is my creative sweet spot. Yet for some reason, I feel the necessity to photograph landscapes like an itch I have to scratch.
My favourite focal length is 40mm but anywhere between 28 and 50 works for me. I do also love using lenses at the extreme ends. I have a 15-30mm ultra wide and a 100-400 long zoom, both of which are great fun to use. When it comes down to it however, I’m much happier in the 35-40 focal length. I wish Canon would make an RF version of their stellar EF 40mm f2.8 stm lens as its one their best. I use it with an adapter and it is just magnificent. They sprinkled magic dust on that lens and decided to sell it cheap!
You can shoot landscapes with any of the focal lengths between 28 and 50mm, which is why I have a 24-105 lens to cover all bases. For street/reportage work however, I still prefer to use primes. They are small, discreet and fast. Maybe they are why I love street and documentary photography, because I can capture moments rather than paint landscapes. Moments are the reason I got serious with my photos. Moments, mainly insignificant to most people always fascinate me. I am slowly working on my first photo book. This will contain images taken inside old Victorian indoor markets. The best of these photos capture ordinary people going about their daily business. I watch and capture little interactions, the moments we generally walk past.
It is interesting, thought provoking, at times a little worrying that one event can change my approach and confidence with my photography. I had a disappointing exhibition earlier this year and sales are few and far between. I don’t want to be that guy at every art fair, open studio, trying to sell prints. I have prints for sale but most are in shops now. I have been working on a large project for a studio group in Hebden Bridge. I have a lot of editing to do but there’s light at the end of that tunnel. I will then start to compile my photobook and hope it gains some recognition. I will get over this creative block and get back to doing what I love most. Going out and capturing moments in other peoples lives. Gear, physical limitations and house moves aren’t the problem. Being more focused and determined are. Like every artist/creative, I need validation that my work is good enough. Positive comments are so valuable to me as I have struggled throughout my whole life with believing I am not good enough, of always believing others are better than me. I know I can take decent images, I just have to convince myself not to worry about it.
