{"id":30475,"date":"2023-09-20T23:35:47","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T21:35:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=30475"},"modified":"2023-09-20T23:35:46","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T21:35:46","slug":"opinion-the-joys-of-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/09\/20\/opinion-the-joys-of-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: The joys of photography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
OPINION<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The joys of photography<\/h2>\n\n

From capturing unique moments of beauty to expressing our creativity, there are many compelling reasons to get behind a camera, writes Simon Whaley<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Illustration: Lynn Hatzius<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

C<\/span><\/strong><\/span>lick!<\/strong> With one finger depression, or tap on an LCD screen, it\u2019s captured. A brief moment in time. A moment so fleeting it is consigned to the past, never to be lived again. So, what draws us to take a photograph in the first place? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

For me, there is always an emotional connection to what I\u2019m about to capture. It\u2019s a record of an experience. It might be the enjoyment of a walk, the love of a sensational view, or the sheer wonder of an unusual combination of factors over which I have no control. Cue the weather. <\/p>\n\n

I\u2019m sure it\u2019s because I\u2019m primarily a landscape photographer that I\u2019m mesmerised by the uniqueness of a moment in time. Whether an exposure is several seconds or several thousandths of a second, we can never truly recapture a moment. Rarely will all those variables align again in exactly the same way. The solar year is a different length to our calendar year. If, in a year\u2019s time, I stand in exactly the same spot to where I\u2019m standing now, the light will be different. The sun won\u2019t be in precisely the same place. Nor will the varied weather conditions be similar. <\/p>\n\n

The weather shapes and transforms our landscapes and images. That teasing glimpse from the top of a mountain through a hole in the cloud below not only records the experience of conquering a cherished summit, but it also reminds me I only glimpsed the view because the weather permitted me to. The weather can tease, and it can reward with breathtaking visions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

This respect for the weather is why I signed up, like thousands of others, to be a BBC WeatherWatcher. Perhaps it highlights my competitive streak. With tens of thousands of weatherrelated images received daily, there\u2019s a definite dopamine hit when I spot one of my smartphone images in a national, regional or Countryfile <\/em>forecast. <\/p>\n\n

And what better reason to take a photo than to share it with the world? <\/p>\n\n

Social media thrives on images. I\u2019m fortunate to live in the stunning Shropshire Hills, and have sometimes wondered if others thought I was gloating when I shared photos of the area. But then came lockdown. <\/p>\n\n

Climbing the Shropshire Hills and taking photos during my legal hour of exercise kept me sane during unprecedented times. My photos reminded me there was still a world out there. But they didn\u2019t just remind me. A social media follower once thanked me for sharing my lockdown images. They missed exploring the hills, but took pleasure from their virtual visits via my photographs. <\/p>\n\n

I realised then that I also capture and share photos to take people to places they can\u2019t visit for themselves. <\/p>\n\n

Sometimes, I take a photo purely because it allows me to zoom in on my subject, and appreciate the intricate beauty of a leaf, flower, or insect. Photography can reveal what the naked eye can\u2019t always see. <\/p>\n\n

Taking photographs allows us to express our personality and creativity. My photographs are, literally, my view of the world. While the camera never lies, it\u2019s the photographer who frames an image, selecting how it is portrayed, leaving the viewer to imagine what lies beyond the frame. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cPhotos become the tools for evoking memories and telling stories. And all it takes is a simple click\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

I\u2019ve spent time in the Lake District with my father, where we would plant our tripods in the ground, side-by-side, with our lenses pointing in exactly the same direction. And yet, we captured completely different images. Proof that the same landscape inspires us in different ways. Photography becomes a record of our journey through life. It captures the moments that stirred our emotions. They reflect our view of the world and our place within it. Photos help us express our creativity and share those visions. They become the tools for evoking memories and telling stories. And all it takes is a simple click.<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n



Simon Whaley is a Shropshire-based author, writer and photographer. Simon\u2019s landscape photos frequently feature in UK national newspapers.


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