People often ask, “What sort of photographer are you? A ‘Portrait Photographer’? A ‘Wildlife Photographer’? A ‘Street Photographer’?” But my range of photographic interests cannot be so easily squeezed into a single box.
I always carry my Contax G2 with me ready to capture the moments that life brings to me. I have often described myself as a ‘Walkout photographer with a snapshot style’ but that in a sense describes what I do and how I do it and a not my particular specialist photographic genre.
To me it matters not what the genre, whether it is scenics or places or nature for example. It is all about what presents itself then seeing the opportunity, framing the picture and exposing the film to capture the shot.
Then there is film. I prefer to use film as it provides me with a more real, tactile photographic experience. It is also full of small ‘organic’ imperfections that add their own charm to my photographs. So you might thus be tempted to say that I am a “Film Photographer’ or in modern speak an ‘Analogue Photographer’ but that is way too wide a generalisation to be helpful.
Then there is being open to adventure. I am always happy to try different styles of photography, remain on the look out for new places to photograph and love trying out new film types. So maybe you could call me the ‘Constantly Learning Photographer’?
So in the end I sat down and thought about the essence of what I do and that is to wander about photographing the things life presents to me. In other words you could possibly call me a ‘Life Photographer’, maybe? Not to be confused mind you with a ‘Lifestyle Photographer’!
So if you must put me and my photography into a box then I could thus be tempted to let you call me a ‘Life Photographer’. Let me try that out; I go to places, walk around with my camera and photograph whatever life brings to me, hence I am a ‘Life Photographer’. Hmm! It doesn’t sound quite right does it? In reality I photograph opportunities, that is moments that life presents to me, but you can’t call yourself a ‘Moments Photographer’ nor an ‘Opportunities Photographer’. The former sounds daft and the latter could easily be misconstrued as something quite sinister.
Strangely perhaps, I am after all much more comfortable being described by what I do rather than being constrained by being defined by any particular photographic genre I may focus upon (there would be too many anyway). So ‘Walkabout Photographer’ it remains even if it means I have to explain it to everyone who asks.”
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Michael Elliott on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 01/06/2023
Nice catch all category though. I like the idea of Life Photography.
Patrick Medd on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 01/06/2023
Alex G on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 01/06/2023
Mike Brooks on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 01/06/2023
There are photographers whose work revolves around people and their various activities
There are photographers whose work is more likely to feature things or places. People may be present, but are not the main subject
Look through your last 500 -1000 shots and I'd be willing to bet everyone leans one way or the other
Shaun Edwards on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 02/06/2023
That seems to be true for every type of art. And if we can't we try and mangle it into something recognisable. Oh, that movie is "James Bond" meets "Saturday night fever".
Some of my favourite artists are very difficult to nail down as they just liked to try lots of different genres, Bowie is the epitome of this.
Like you I'm not sure if I actually have a style, I think sometimes that for someone else to define anyway.
I just like taking photos of things or places with a camera of some description be it film or digital.
The great Gary Winogrand summed it up well with "I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed."
That's good enough for me.
Comment posted: 02/06/2023
Dan J Castelli on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 02/06/2023
Marc Riboud passed away at the age of 93. He was a member of Magnum, and a very talented photographer. While doing some research on Mr. Riboud, I came across this quote from him:
“This is what I do. I walk with a small camera. I keep looking – looking at and scrutinizing the things around me. I wander around a city, or a place. I notice, and sometimes photograph, apparently insignificant details. It fascinates me – it’s an obsession – but I don’t end up with a story. I am a collector of instants and details.”
His quote summarizes my life-long approach to making photographs. If only I had read this in my 20's... I'm now approaching 72. I've always carried a camera with me. Now it's my Leitz-Minolta CL with the magnificent 40mm M-Rokkor f/2.0. Bulk loaded HP-5. Self-developed in my tiny darkroom. I scan some & post, Other negatives are printed and I bind them into small books.
I don't fit into any classification of photography. When I was younger, I was considered weird. Now I'm 'old school'. I'm just happy to continue to do what I love to do with my photography.
Comment posted: 02/06/2023
Comment posted: 02/06/2023
John Orr on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 03/06/2023
'The photographer is an armed version of the solitary walker reconnoitering, stalking, cruising the urban inferno, the voyeuristic stroller who discovers the city as a landscape of voluptuous extremes. Adept of the joys of watching, connoisseur of empathy, the flâneur finds the world "picturesque."'
Stefan Wilde on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 04/06/2023
Nice article, thanks for posting!
Peggy on Not Fitting in a Photography Box
Comment posted: 02/07/2023