Developing the Creative Mind

Landscape photography is not a competition; it is a form of art, that like all others, is open to interpretation and subjectivity. It is a matter of personal opinion as to what constitutes a good photograph; what I like you might not, and vice-versa. I am personally motivated to produce images of the landscape that appeal to my eye, and have no desire to participate in the clammer for space and adulation on social media. That does not mean, in any way, that I am not interested in the work of other landscape photographers. As well as admiring the work of others, I think there is a great benefit in using that work to develop your own creative mind.

I am relatively new to photography, only taking it seriously when I made a significant career change a few years ago. Up to that point I was firmly of the opinion that I didn't have a creative or artistic bone in my body. I now know that to be untrue, but I also know that I can continue to learn, particularly by observing the work of others, and listening to the thinking that underpins their style and their approach to photography.

I have recently taken advantage of two opportunities to listen to leading professional landscape photographers, one being at The 2019 Photography Show, and the other at an exhibition launch at The Joe Cornish Gallery. I am sure, like many other photographers, that I can continue to develop the technical side of photography. However, I feel that understanding light, composition, and technical camera settings alone is not enough to produce images of a consistently high quality. Listening to people such as Joe Cornish, Charlie Waite, David Ward, Mark Littlejohn, Valda Bailey, and Doug Chinnery, gave me an insight as to the thinking and feeling behind their images. It has stimulated me to think about why I take photographs, what I want to represent in my images, and how I feel and what I see when I look through the viewfinder. It has given me food for thought, and represents further development of my own creative mind. Whether it will improve me as a photographer, only time will tell. If nothing else, it is an incredibly interesting and stimulating experience.