The story behind the photo | A photography newsletter
One photo. One story.
16 November 2023 edition
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”- Henri Cartier-Bresson
This weekend I started the long and laborious exercise of going through the thousands of photos I’ve taken since 2022. Since I discovered Marie Kondo’s KonMari method, I have become a complete and ruthless declutterer, and this not only applies to clothes and books, but also to my digital belongings.
2022 was a year of huge growth for me, from a photographic perspective. It’s the year I started calling myself a documentary photographer, instead of an enthusiast with a camera. The catalyst was investing in a group mentorship called Turning Chaos Into Art, run by Emma Collins and Antonina Mamzenko (the 5th run will soon open for enrolment).
What is becoming obvious during the ‘big culling’ is that, during this intense period of growth, I took thousands of very bad photographs. But I also took some of my best photos. And it wasn't the case of firing blindly hoping to get that one lucky gem. No, I was purposively trying something out knowing I would likely fail. And did I fail!
For example, whilst this photo made the cut, it didn’t quite achieve what I had in mind. With all the blues and the snorkelling set, I wanted to compose something that made the viewer feel inside a swimming pool or water tank. The balloon (from a birthday party a few days earlier) added a touch of fun to what was already a random scene. I don’t feel I achieved what I had in mind, but it’s a nice portrait so I kept it.
But this is the point: most of the time, the photos I take are failed experiments and, frankly, crap. Occasionally, I take a shot that is close to the vision I had in my head, and then I do a little dance. It’s all part of growing, and when all these rubbish photos max out my hard drive, I “konmari-them”: I keep those that give me joy, and bin the rest.
I am a documentary family photographer based in Dulwich, primarily serving East Dulwich, Herne Hill, and Peckham, and I am available to travel across London and beyond. Get in touch if you are interest in booking a session with me.