In this photograph you can see my watermark from a few years ago. I do love it. It wasn’t helping with the Len brand. Everyone calls me Len, and because of the association with lenses I have embraced it.

It was Nicole, a model I have worked with on numerous occasions, and the most lovely person to spend time with, confronted me with the fact that it was distracting on my work. I had sent her all of the shots in one of our shoots for her to self critique her posing. Something a professional model needs to work on. She asked me to send them again without the watermark as she was finding it so distracting. In my usual way I personally responded with a huff and a puff to myself.

I soon sent her some without the watermark. Well, she triggered a thought and slowly I shifted and started to see the distraction.

She’s totally right. It isn’t a signature like we add on a drawing or painting which should enhance but not distract from the artwork. Here it’s a clear watermark. A stamp. A big white blob. If I added a white blob in that part of the picture it would be clearly distracting.

So I stopped adding it.

Years later people recognise my work for what it is. Len’s. Not having it has never caused a problem. It has just enhanced my work.

Interestingly, I now don’t engage with photography that has watermarks emblazoned on the artwork. I skip past it. Looking for something authentic and moving. If I love the artwork you can be assured I will seek out the author and take mental note.

Here it is without it for comparison.

I do love the watermark for what it is though. I will find a use for it I am sure. My first gallery was called the ‘Leonard Metcalf Gallery’ and I slipped the word ‘art’ into the logo. I wonder when I’ll open one again and if I’ll use that name again for it.

Funny how we change isn’t it.

Waratah. Photograph and text copyright © Leonard Metcalf 2020