I have been thinking about you, my dear photographic friends. You have stayed with me over the years reading this blog and supporting me in my endeavours and I am so grateful for your interest.
It has been a while so I thought I would give you an update on my photographic activities. There is no question we are all excited about the possibility of travel. In fact, some of my friends have already booked incredible trips for late this year and 2022. I suspect it is going to be a very busy photographic season.
In terms of being busy, that’s an understatement. I have spent the last few months planning, preparing and launching a brand-new magazine dealing with landscape photography and called ELEMENTS. I am thrilled to report that the first issue of ELEMENTS is now available for download at www.elementsphotomag.com
Steven Friedman, a dear friend and co-editor of the magazine, has been shaping the DNA of ELEMENTS. You may ask: Why another magazine? That’s a great question. In the last few years, we have seen an acceleration in the use of post-processing software to alter and create photographs – especially landscape imagery. We are not against such tools but we thought there is a place for those who appreciate a more traditional approach. Steven explained it in this way:
“At the heart of the magazine is our commitment to curate this publication to give you every opportunity to feel you are standing alongside the photographer in the field as they see, craft, and produce their imagery. Our goal in this magazine is to take you on a journey with the photographer so you experience the effort, dedication and passion they apply to their work.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s not about fixing your photograph back in the studio. This is not only related to landscape photography. I used a similar approach in my street work over the years.
Another reason we started ELEMENTS was to expand the idea of landscape photography. There is so much underappreciated work out there, not necessarily screaming with colours and golden light, but which offers a willing participant a deep visual experience. It’s the sort of imagery that doesn’t scream but once you give it a chance it will linger and engage you on much deeper level.
That brings me to another point. If there is one change that came from the lockdowns and the pandemic, is that we all found a way to appreciate the smaller things in life. For me, it was greater contact with nature. I am very lucky because we are surrounded by stunning nature here in British Columbia and the time I have spent outside helped me to deal with the challenges of the last few years. You may not know that I started as a landscape photographer and then moved to travel and eventually street photography. Now my interest in travel and landscape is growing once again. It is not that I don’t like street anymore – I don’t think in those terms. For me photography is one huge world of seeing. In fact, I have been experimenting with ideas to break down barriers between what I call overly guarded genre borders.
Along with my passion for driving, I enjoy taking my street photography ideas and applying them to seeing and reconstructing landscape, once again. I may well be completing a full circle. As mentioned in my recent posts, I have been inspired by the works of Jan Tove, Ned Pratt and recently Sandra Herber, whose work you will find in the upcoming issues of the ELEMENTS Magazine.
Strangely enough, what I’ve enjoyed even more than photography in recent months is the challenge of curation and working on editorials and design. I find it very satisfying to work with the best photographers in the world – exchanging ideas and working on articles, interviews and ideas. Each time I know I have to go beyond my comfort zone and be exposed to wonderful talent way beyond my seeing capabilities. It helps me to grow as a photographer.
Last, I would like to ask you to spread the news about the ELEMENTS Magazine. Please share the www.elementsphotomag.com link with your photographic friends and invite them to our new FB group.
In the meantime, once I finish writing this, we are going to work on an extended interview with Bruce Barnbaum, an iconic photographer whose book, “The Art of Photography” I consider to be the bible of photographic thought, regardless of genre. Stay well, my friends, and I will report back soon.
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