Club Meeting, Finding your Photographic Style - Tuesday 25th October 2022.

     

On Tuesday 25th October 2022, guest speaker, Lynda Golightly LRPS entertained Morpeth Camera Club with a
presentation entitled ‘Finding Your Photographic Style, A Personal Journey'. A member of Consett Photographic
Society, Lynda has visited Morpeth several times to judge our club competitions, but on this occasion she came
to show her own work.

Her aim was to explain how to recognise and develop your own personal style in photographic terms and to
then understand that style is not something that can be taught, it evolves innately, slowly and passively. To
illustrate this Lynda showed examples of work by Ansel Adams, rich and technical; Henri Cartier-Bresson who
captured the decisive moment but with humour; and Annie Liebovitz with her story telling and unusual shots
of people; three photographers all now recognised for their individualism.

Having originally worked in electron microscopy, she began to enjoy photography as a hobby when she started
to travel, read books on the subject, and visited galleries which gave her a new perspective and drive to take
images from her own point of view. To recognise your own style she advised that one could keep a collection
of your best or favourite shots and note how each was taken, this makes one see what your images have in
common and can slowly reveal your photographic style. Are your photographs quiet or busy, close or far, bright
or dark, is there a dominant colour palette, these are aspects she says, which give a better hit rate in the future.

Lynda then asked; are we windows or mirrors of photography? For example, window shots are factual whilst
mirror photography reflects the world as we see it, full of suggestion, of how you would like it to be. Although,
she stated, one can take a factual or record shot but can make it your own by introducing filters, for example
to age an old subject to give it the atmosphere it deserves.

She continued to say that photographic vision takes two forms; looking and seeing. Looking produces a result
which is relaxed and passive, but seeing is more active. The results can depend on ones mood and where you
see your subject in terms that will give you the image you have imagined. Her examples of looking included
objects such as water fountain, a nice record shot; whereas her seeing image of a sad girl reflected emotion
and had a story telling quality. Lynda went on to explain what she tries to bring into her work showing fine
examples of linear elements, candid shots and composite images. The use of the diagonal and reflections,
colour popping, and filters featured greatly in her imaginative work.

Returning to the subject of her favourites list, she found herself questioning whether her favourites are actually
her best work. Favourite images can be associated with a great experience; but does the personal exhilaration
of the moment transfer to the viewer. Her aim in photography is to make the emotion experienced at the time
transfer and be recognised by an audience. The question often asked is whether one should take photographs
of works of art. She said that there was no doubt that the artist would be glad that their work had reached a
greater audience. But to simply take a record shot of a piece of art is not great photography, one should provide
ones own interpretation, by shooting at an unusual angle or to include elements to make it your own, for example.

The audience enjoyed more examples of Lynda’s style of photography of flat graphic creations, composite images
with a fantasy element and patterns of radiating circles. She said that, like everyone, she takes a multitude of
record shots of places visited but she always takes time to capture the alternative shot with a difference.

In conclusion she said that anyone can develop their own style and make it evolve. To not feel constrained by
convention, break rules, keep an open mind, try new things, have confidence in what you do, accept critique
and learn from it. Don’t dismiss others’ work, we all have a unique and individual style and what you shoot
represents who you are. A short Q & A followed, Club Co Chair Roseanne Robinson thanked Linda for taking
us through her fascinating journey and providing hints and tips, after which club members were able to view
some of Lynda’s prints over coffee.

Steph.