Peer into the Darkness (coast)
Back in the day (30+ years ago) I was a fresh faced landscape photographer. I did not care what people thought of my work I just did what I liked, which just happened to be dark and moody.
Then I started to share my work on photography sites and, I'm ashamed to admit it, started to chase likes. I started to change my style to what seemed to be popular (normally strong contrast and vivid colours)!. Then it got worse I discovered social media and also started to sell my photographs. strong contrast and vivid colours were then joined by brightness as I chased fame and sales. Yes successfully, books, print sales, running workshops and commercial commissions all followed. But I still wasn't as happy as when I was pleasing just myself.
What a too do! I had lost my way, my identity as a photographer. I tried various things to try and get my mojo back, black & white only, square format only, undersaturated soft contrast photographs. They all worked to some extend, and many are still for sale on this website, but to be honest I was still struggling with my self-esteem.
Moving forward to today and I have finally come full circle (albeit with a twist) and I am back to my old beloved dark and moody. What's the twist? The twist is Its been a long journey and looking back strong contrast and vivid colour just isn't me. What I have learnt through my journey is how much I like black & white (going back to my film days a nice Ilford 400 was always my film of chose). So the twist is simple, the twist is my old dark and moody style is now finally back but in black and white only.
Popularity and sales may well plummet but I just don't care anymore. I'm 56 year old now and having treatment for anxiety, I'm learning not to worry about what people think (I've even pulled away for the dreaded social media!) 'Peer into the darkness' that's the new or should I say the old me!
Then I started to share my work on photography sites and, I'm ashamed to admit it, started to chase likes. I started to change my style to what seemed to be popular (normally strong contrast and vivid colours)!. Then it got worse I discovered social media and also started to sell my photographs. strong contrast and vivid colours were then joined by brightness as I chased fame and sales. Yes successfully, books, print sales, running workshops and commercial commissions all followed. But I still wasn't as happy as when I was pleasing just myself.
What a too do! I had lost my way, my identity as a photographer. I tried various things to try and get my mojo back, black & white only, square format only, undersaturated soft contrast photographs. They all worked to some extend, and many are still for sale on this website, but to be honest I was still struggling with my self-esteem.
Moving forward to today and I have finally come full circle (albeit with a twist) and I am back to my old beloved dark and moody. What's the twist? The twist is Its been a long journey and looking back strong contrast and vivid colour just isn't me. What I have learnt through my journey is how much I like black & white (going back to my film days a nice Ilford 400 was always my film of chose). So the twist is simple, the twist is my old dark and moody style is now finally back but in black and white only.
Popularity and sales may well plummet but I just don't care anymore. I'm 56 year old now and having treatment for anxiety, I'm learning not to worry about what people think (I've even pulled away for the dreaded social media!) 'Peer into the darkness' that's the new or should I say the old me!
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