I listen to a lot of music when I am working at my photography. It seems to be quite an eclectic mix to me - Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The National, Royksopp, Olafur Arnalds, Ludovico Einaudi and even (very occasionally) Moby. What I find interesting is the thought that the music I am listening to can have some sort of effect on the photograph I am taking or printing (when I am in the darkroom). It certainly influences the titles of my photographs.
I recently spoke to a person who described themselves as a 'keen photographer'. Immediately they described themselves in this way I formed an opinion. It wan't favourable. Putting the word 'keen' into that description suggested a slightly nerdish quality to their relationship with photography. You know, the sort of person who thinks they are the resident expert and wants to talk in mechanical detail about why everybody else's photography is inferior to theirs. Good luck to them. My relationship with photography couldn't be further away from this. I like to be quiet about what I do. In a sense, photography gives me something to hide behind and I can see this in my photographs. They tend to be quiet observations of things that appeal to me. That is one of the reasons that I like black and white. It doesn't shout 'look at me!', it just gets on with its business without fuss.
As this conversation developed, I spoke about the photographers that I most admire. Inevitably I mentioned Michael Kenna whose photographs said photographer described as gloomy and cliched. I was intrigued. 'Why cliched?', I asked. Apparently long exposure photographs are old hat and anybody could shoot them. I found this fascinating. When I initially set out to take photographs I always thought that long exposure work used a set of techniques that required a degree of skill that went beyond the normal. You need to understand your subject matter and your equipment in intimate detail. Once you add film into the mix with its complicating factors such as reciprocity failure then you were really testing the photographer's experience, knowledge and skill.
"Cliched?" - I was indignant!
I understand the sentiment in some way. I previously had a conversation with a professional commercial photographer who expressed his dislike for long exposure photography. My response was that the beauty of what we do allows room for people with different tastes, skills and motivations. A few days following this conversation I received a comment from him that although generally he didn't like long exposure he thought mine were pretty good. It was one of the finest compliments I feel I have ever received.
Previously, I have discussed the use of the word melancholy to describe my photography. What is slightly surprising is that the music I listen to has that melancholy nature to it. I want my music to soothe me as I go about a long exposure or toning a print. I know that the music manifests itself in some way in the final photograph. With that in mind I have started to think about how differing influences translate into creative work. What would happen for example if I were to listen to Metallica or Kate Bush? What if I had watched a horror film the previous night? What photographs would I take after bad day at work?
This is why I believe that try creativity is something that you pour all of your emotions into. Your work should be a statement about you. It is great to have influences and they help shape you but you should never just try to mimic others - what is the point? It takes time to find your own voice but it is time worth taking. In that way you will be very comfortable with the path you take.
In case you were wondering - "I wish someone would take my place" comes from Heavenfaced by The National. It is the song that was playing when I started writing.
