A space to work

A photographer is someone who takes photographs. Everyone’s a photographer, especially in today’s smartphone universe. The number of images available on the net at the touch of an icon will soon be measured in light years instead of illions, or perhaps not measured at all. It is difficult for professional photographers in this new order, most newspapers no longer have staff photographers but rely on free contributions from the public, or professional photographers freelancing to whoever they can sell to. It’s tough out there to produce an image which gets more than a second look, one which stands the test of time, one that actually gets printed, one that makes it on to someone's wall. But of I am not a professional photographer, I do not earn my living from either taking or selling images.

My photographic history has its roots deep in my first University degree (Biology) and my early love of wildlife and of plants. Wildlife photography is still of great interest to me because of the substantial challenge that finding, and getting close, to truly wild life represents, and the satisfaction received when it all comes together. But technically beautiful images of the natural world probably do not make it “art” or ‘artistic”, or at least that is very much a matter of divided opinion. One of the other challenges with wildlife photography is that there are a lot of excellent practitioners out there and it is very hard to find a unique space among all the great work. So where can I find a space to work, where to next?

To grow as a photographer, and as an artist I need to “grow” myself, to explore what I feel and think as much as what I see, and hope to create original images. Thus a transition toward art started some years ago with “The arrangement” at Harvey’s Return when I began to explore and play with my relationship with nature. I am deepening my relationship with trees and with forests, the world around me, and my photography. I am hopeful that I can make a transition from photographer to artist in the years ahead, or at least be photographer and artist. Fingers crossed and I hope you can join me for the journey.

Deep Creek Conservation Park, South Australia

Sheoak, Deep Creek Conservation Park, South Australia