Travel photography is more than 'photography'

I really enjoy travelling, meeting people, listening to their stories and learning new things. In a way taking pictures is an interesting by-product, a way of recording and remembering things. Life is made up of an endless series of stories and experiences.

There's an interesting zen of photography idea that I'd like to pass along in this article. To some of you it will seem so obvious that you'll wonder why I bother to write it and to others I think it may be a bit of a revelation.

Here it is. Your photography will become more meaningful and powerful if you stop concentrating solely on taking the perfect picture. By that I don't mean you shouldn't strive for perfect composition, lighting and all the other technical aspects. Sure you've got to get all of that right but you should be doing that without having to think about it too hard.

A good photographer focuses on far more. It's about being open to the world, the experiences, listening keenly to the people you meet, feeling the emotions, enjoying the interaction and the moment and then taking all of the experience and channeling that into creating interesting images. I think when you part company with your subject you should both feel enriched from the shared experience.

The picture above was taken during a tea and story telling session with this Bedouin gentleman in his tent in the Negev desert. I took the shot as he stared off into the distance watching his camels. The picture features in my latest online exhibition of portraits.

Cheers for now,

Paul

Comments

The Story Behind the Stories in My Photography

Thank you for taking the time to explore my work. Photography, to me, is a meditative act—an opportunity to be fully present and notice the smallest details. The interplay of colour and light, the textures and shapes, the shift of an expression, a gesture — these subtle moments bring me pure joy. They are why I love storytelling and creating visual poetry. Every image in my portfolio is born from a moment of connection or curiosity. Whether I’m in a bustling city street, a quiet room, or a remote location, I aim to create photographs that resonate with empathy. Take "The Cyclists," for example—what appears to be a simple scene of people pedalling along the pier transforms into a visual symphony of movement and stillness, the hurried energy balanced by the serene focus of the riders. This interplay between action and calm often draws me in. I’m drawn to capturing the essence of a person—their inner world, not just their outward appearance. My approach often dances between the...

Overcoming creative block and self doubt

Every photographer, for that matter every creative, I've ever met comes to a point when they're not happy with the work they're producing. The pendulum between creative highs and dry spells swings continuously. For some the cycle is long and the bouts are quite mild for others the feeling of doubt about their work can be a crushing experience which returns all to frequently. It's actually quite healthy to have these periods of doubt because it can often be the beginning of something new and interesting which takes you further than you thought possible. Creatives in the commercial world have to always perform and although they may agree looking back that they've had a few patches where their work was less good, they always seem to bounce back. A very few creative geniuses deliver such high quality work that their poorest attempts still surpass the rest of us. But I have never heard of anyone, from tortured soul of Van Gogh to the supreme showman and genius, Salvador ...

What You Photograph Reveals How You Think

Photography is often described as a way of seeing. Less often do we talk about it as a way of thinking. What you choose to photograph, and just as importantly what you ignore, quietly mirrors how your mind works. Some photographers are drawn to faces, micro-expressions, emotional spikes. Others chase atmosphere, light, mood. Then there are those who gravitate towards structure, systems, order, the invisible logic holding a scene together. None of this is accidental. The camera becomes a sorting tool. It reveals what your brain prioritises. Where others see chaos, you might see alignment. Where some look for drama, you look for balance. Geometry, repetition, flow, layers, these aren’t just visual preferences, they’re cognitive ones. Strong graphic images tend to come from people who think spatially. Who notice how things relate before they notice what they mean. Lines before labels. Structure before story. And yet, the best images rarely stop there. They gain depth when human pres...

Beyond the obvious

Search This Blog