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Lightstalking Introducing
• Tell us a little about yourself and your photography journey.I grew up in Yorkshire, in the north of England, moving to work in Wales before settling in Bristol in 1982. I started photography at age 7, when I pestered Dad to put a film in an old camera I had found in the loft, took a shot of my Godfather minutes later and then showed him the shot a week or two on. The look on his face was priceless and I was hooked. Both my father and grandfather were amateur photographers, and now my son is a professional music photographer, so I guess it runs in the blood.
• What is the best advice you received so far regarding photography?
This is Art. There are no rules. Only tools.• How do you maintain inspiration?
Pick up a camera! Seriously, that’s it. I always see (potential!) images within my surroundings, so ‘all I need’ is the time and equipment to capture them. Ha! Even assuming, of course, I had the skill!• What is your favourite subject to shoot and why?
I have very wide tastes, but the coast always draws me, both natural and built up. Also what is now being called ‘Found Still Life’, but has been known for decades if not centuries as Objects trouvées And gardens. And…• Do you have a favourite type of photography?
When my photography got ‘serious’ in my 20s it was all nature and natural landscape, then it became almost exclusively underwater for a few (20+! ) years. After that stopped (a triple whammy of the major investment needed to switch to digital, my developing asthma and the death of my regular diving/photography buddy in a road accident) I had a quiet, unproductive patch, then retired from work into garden photography, travel, urban – almost anything!
• How would you describe your photographic journey to date?After over 50 years of photography I’d describe the journey as ‘long’! I have no formal training. After my father and grandfather the most influential guy was Dick Hunter, the biology department photographer when I was at university – to the extent that my first 10 years working after university always involved some element of photography, although never as a full-time photographer.
I found the distinctions provided by the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) a great way to focus my efforts, finally leading to my being awarded a Fellowship in 1994 for my underwater work.
I now do quite a lot of teaching and some lecturing to clubs, and there’s nothing like teaching to keep you learning! And I look at a lot of images!
• Are you currently involved with any photography projects? If so, what?
At the start of this year I was responsible for starting a collaborative project with two other photographers from the RPS. All three of us have different approaches to our photography which makes the resulting body of work much richer. The project looks at an area of Bristol which was once docks, quays and warehouses but is now being ‘invaded’ by heritage, leisure, arts and posh flats! The project will probably run for another year, but we have just had our first exhibition and an accompanying article in the RPS Journal.
Besides that I run much of my photography in themes, many of which make it into albums on flickr.• If you could only use one camera/lens combination for a year, which would you choose?
I’m very tempted to say the Fuji X-E2 with the fisheye! But it would get very limiting and probably drive me completely mad (some would say it’s too late already!). Mr Sensible would take a Canon 5D III and the wonderfully versatile Canon 24-105 lens. Or just maybe the new 11-24. Or perhaps something large format. (What’s the budget?!!)• What is your favorite image right now?
I’m far too fickle to provide a serious answer to this! Of my own work, my favourite at any one time is usually the best image from set I’ve just been editing! I like to kid myself that this is because I’m always improving. Sadly delusional!
• Is a photographer that inspires you?
Way too many to list, although it is often specific photographs, rather than photographers that ‘get’ me. Worthy of mention would be David Doubilet, Martin Parr, Charlie Waite, but almost anyone who presents themselves as a ‘thinking’ photographer tends to grab my attention. This year two UK photographers, Martin Addison and Tony Worobiec have separately done just that.
Martin http://www.martinanddoreen.co.uk/M&D09/_html/Martin_Index2.html
Tony http://www.tonyworobiec.com/• What is your biggest challenge when it comes to photography?
Recognising and developing my own photographic voice. I see certain characteristics in my work across a range of genres, but I often depart from them when dealing with a particular image.• Is there anything specific you intend to learn or improve in your photography?
Doing my own prints (I’ve really done slides then projected images since about the age of 10!). And you never seem to stop learning post proc. I’m currently developing a ‘style’ using partial desaturation in LR that has come out of the project I mentioned above. Maybe one day I’ll learn Photoshop…• If people want to follow more of your work where should they go?
I’ve been planning a website for the last two years, and still am! In the meantime I use flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonjamesphotos/
• Provide links to 3 or 4 of your favourite images that can be displayed with the interview
I have an album on flickr – My Favourites – that I use for the shots I like the best – perhaps because they come closest to achieving some vision I had when I first pressed the shutter! https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonjamesphotos/albums/72157659807292322
Phone box studland https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonjamesphotos/20462253324/in/dateposted-public/
King’s Staithe II https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonjamesphotos/20766620464/in/dateposted-public/
Mono Scooters Florence https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonjamesphotos/21072854512/
Morning tide, Dartmouth https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonjamesphotos/21169365144/in/dateposted-public/ -
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Since finding my way to LS I’ve found your comments and insight to be very helpful in my own struggle to improve Gordon. You have a knack of getting to the core of things and it’s appreciated. We all have a “long and winding road” and I found yours to be an interesting read. It’s good to know a little more about who you are….much respect…cheers!
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A great read, Gordon, and good to know a bit of your background, sounds like a long and interesting road! I’ve always enjoyed your photography, you have a good eye, and your comments are always worth reading …. inspiring and a cool sense of humour.
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I’m so happy that I have the chance to learn a little about you Gordon. I’ve always enjoyed your work and comments and often felt that we seem to be drawn to some of the same types of things in our photography – you just seem to do it better and I’ve learned a lot from you. Thanks.
Happy new year everyone! -
- elinlaxdal1
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/40843248@N07/
- Allows Edits: Yes
@elax- Posts:4777
Allows Edits? YesA fine interview, interesting and enlightening. Good to get insight into the background of a photographer who´s contribution to LS is so important, both to me and obviously a lot of other people.
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Hi Gordon,
Good to read about your long journey.
From picking up your first camera at the age of seven (quite different from kids these days who have their own iPhones at the age of three, OK four) through an impressive twenty years underwater photography (wanna see some of those pictures) to being a member at the RPS and of course LS.Thank you for your useful comments and insights when you critique our work.
You have a very nice Flickr. People, go see! -
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Thank you all so much for your kind comments, they really meant a lot. I’m sorry I haven’t been a bit more communicative over the Christmas period. A few days before Christmas I was diagnosed with cancer so it put a bit of a downer on Christmas and I haven’t really spent much time on the internet at all beyond various health sites!
So it was a bit of a shock the other day to discover that David had posted the interview, and all your lovely comments! Just the tonic I needed. I expect I will ‘disappear’ again in the next few weeks, as it looks like a major operation looming, but I Will Be Back!
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So very nice to meet you, @GordonJames!
Your incisive, to-the-point comments are always instructive reading.
Teen there’s that undercurrent of humour, always present.
All the best to you. Looking forward to reading many more of your posts. -
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