Photography Has The Power To Change The Mundane Into The Magnificent

Photography Has The Power To Change The Mundane Into The Magnificent

July 16, 2016 ·

Fred Weymouth

A conversation with professional photographer Peter Watson of the U.K.

Author’s note: The following was adapted from an interview between Fred Weymouth and Peter Watson in episode 5 of the Lens & Landscape Podcast.

All Images © Peter Watson

You can find Peter’s books at his website.

Peter W new portrait 2012-2

How did you get your start as a photographer?

It goes back 50 years almost to the day. I was given a birthday gift, a 35 millimeter film camera which was quite something back in those days. After the initial few years of photographing anything, I moved into black and white photography where I was developing and processing my own prints. I found a local art shop that was happy to sell my prints and I made some sales which really harnessed my interest. I studied art and graphic design at college and moved in to graphic design and advertising.

I didn’t move into landscape photography until about 25 years ago. It was more general work and my full time occupation was the graphic design. I was gradually spending less time in my day job and more time on the landscape photography. Eventually, I moved into large format which is when my career started to take off.

How were you making a living with your work?

The main income at that point was in picture library sales. The concept of internet-based picture libraries just didn’t exist. It was all color transparency. The advantage of having 5×4 images was that once a client saw a 5×4 image on a light box they always went for it because it had so much impact. 5×4 was very rare in those days. So that’s where 90% of my income came in the first few years.

I would submit my work to the picture library. They did all the sales and marketing and kept 50% for their commission. They produced catalogues which were distributed to a network of agents throughout the world. Once your work was in the catalogue, you were guaranteed good sales. My involvement was simply take the shot, put the material into the library and they did the rest.

You’ve written eight photography books. Can you tell me about them?

With the exception of one book they’re all practical photography books, each has a different theme. My ninth book, Lessons in Landscape, is coming out later this year. It features 80 double page spreads, each with a different lesson, a different tip. How to make the best of every environment, every situation you find yourself in. They’re reference books as well as practical guides. I have one coffee table book with images of the Welsh landscape.

NEW HADRIAN'S WALL, NORTHUMBERLAND, ENGLAND — NEW HADRIAN’S WALL, NORTHUMBERLAND, ENGLAND

How do you approach a photography shoot?

I think research and initial planning is very important. If I’m planning on looking for new locations, the first thing I do is refer to a large scale map. The UK is very comprehensively mapped and you can get maps to a scale of 1:10,000. Personally I like the 1:50,000 scale because that shows you everything you want in a landscape like rivers, streams, waterfalls, bridges, etc.

By studying a map, I can see what areas hold the most potential. Having then chosen the area, I consider the time of year. Farmland countryside might suit spring or summer when the growing season is at its peak. If it’s coastal, or a mountainous area then I prefer winter and autumn. I spend time at each location, watching and waiting. Very rarely do I take an immediate grab shot.

What are your thoughts about macro and close-up work?

I think photography as a medium lends itself to capturing close-up images, either realistic, abstract or semi abstract. It’s really in the eyes of the photographer to create an image out of virtually nothing. Photography has the power, I always say, to change the mundane into the magnificent, so once captured, for example, a piece of rock can take on the form of a striking visual piece of art that you would normally walk past it and ignore.

NEW DERWENT WATER, LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND

Talk to me about photographing iconic locations.

I used to avoid them – I don’t like repeating pictures which have already been captured. I tend to favor original places. Having said that, I’ve visited America five times now, and on my most recent trip visited Zion National Park and the Paria Canyon area. I thought I had to go there purely because there aren’t that many English photographers who visit Zion. And I must say, it was very, very rewarding. The key thing is to have an open mind and observe. I think observation is the key to creativity. I’m looking for the big image, the small close-up, the abstract. You’ve got to be keenly aware of what your surroundings are offering you.

Tell me about your post-processing approach.

I capture both a raw and jpeg file. I’ll go through the jpegs quickly, which tells me which ones are the most successful. I’ll view them at 100% and check their sharpness. Before I start looking at them creatively I want to know if they are technically sound. After an initial view I tend to leave them for a few days. I think elation can sometimes obscure reality, or act as a filter to reality. What you may initially think is an excellent shot may not seem that good after you step away from it for a few days. I think you’ve got to let the emotions seep away and then look at them objectively at a later date. I try and get it pretty accurate at the time of shooting. I think post processing can make a good image better, but it can’t make a bad image good. The less you do to the image, the better.

What are some of the well-known landscape photography venues in the U.K.?

The Cornwall coast in the south is a big attraction. It’s a rugged but accessible coastline. There’s Wales itself with Snowdonia, a nice mountainous landscape. The other two areas are the Yorkshire dales and the Lake District – unique landscapes of rolling hills and farmland. Finally, you’ve got the Highlands of Scotland. There are probably half a dozen key locations in Britain which are all quite different to each other. The scale of these areas in Britain is a lot smaller than their counterparts in America – you can visit the whole of Snowdonia in a day, for example.

NEW NEAR HAWES, YORKSHIRE DALES, ENGLAND

Fred Weymouth
Jul7 2016

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