I just finished an article for Peter Eastway’s Better Photography Magazine. It’s the first in a three parter on Style, Voice and Look. They are the written versions of my presentations I recorded at Len’s Club. I basically argue not to think about your style, but to concentrate on your personal voice and use different looks for working in series. (These three one hour videos are available at Len’s Cub by the way)

By writing it I have been thinking about my own work and the similarities and differences it takes on over time. There are so many emerging themes that keep repeating themselves in my work. So I thought I’d share with you one I noticed. Huge logs taking on diagonal and oblique lines right through the picture combined with moving water.

I also can’t help but notice how I am continually drawn back to the same log, year after year when I visit the Tarkine in Tasmania. The vertical portrait photograph above is in split tones of blues and browns. It is one I took on film about 15-20 years ago on the Fish River near Tarana. The others are of Dip Falls. They were taken over a seven year period and all feature that same log.

After so many floods over so many years I am surprised it hasn’t moved.

So my question is: Is it style, voice, or look? Am I just continuing my obsession with the same subject and revisiting similar themes? Am I actually growing? Or is it me being stagnant and unable to move forward.

A load of rhetorical questions, just in case you thought you’d write to tell me that my work has become boring… lol

Perhaps I am just over thinking it all. Perhaps I should just be pleased that I took some lovely photographs.

Perhaps, I should have called this post ‘Visiting old friends’?

I think we can over think our own art and the art of others. This last one is still a firm favourite mainly because it seems to challenge my notions of what a photograph should be, and hence my own bias towards it.

We make art for our own enjoyment don’t we. So really all that matters is that we love what we do. Even the final outcome is much less important than we think.

Being truthful to myself is so important in this life as an artist. There is no need to worry about your style. It can be worth considering your creative voice. As you know so much of my passion for this beautiful location is tied up with its imminent destruction and total lack of protection.

Sigh… that is such a long battle ahead yet

I hope you enjoy seeing these and that they are a little insightful about my work for you. Voice is everything. Style is something that emerges inspite of itself. Look, we’ll, look is for fun.

Smiles….

Clair is almost finished Len’s Journal Volume 1 Issue 2. She’s actually waiting on me to write the editorial and introduction. We close the orders off on it this week on Thursday. So if you haven’t subscribed to it by Friday you’ll miss out. You can subscribe here. https://lensjournal.com/publications/lens-journal-subscription

Photographs and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2021