Always Learning
Earlier this month I spent some time in Menorca and filmed an interview with Jorge from The RAW Society. Whenever I do interviews I always tend to learn something new, however this time round I feel like I’ve had a bit of a shift in my entire perspective.
I will be the first to say that for me, photography is a selfish act. I shoot because I love the process of taking photos. I don’t shoot to document the world, tell stories, raise awareness around certain issues, or bring about change. My motivations aren’t noble to be honest. I enjoy the process of photography, I find it fun, challenging, and personally fulfilling. The only thing I document is my life and those close to me.
Jorge, I feel, is the opposite of me. He seeks out stories that need to be heard, his photography helps shed light on important topics, and his whole approach to photography is anything but selfish. He shoots conflicts, natural disasters, humanitarian issues, and everything in between. Unlike me, he doesn’t take a photo because the light is cool or because there is an interesting silhouette. Of course the aesthetics matter, but for Jorge, what matters more is the story behind the shot. What’s the story, purpose, or meaning behind it? This is why you will seldom see single photos from him, and instead you will be treated to bodies of work that tell you much more.
When we were filming the interview, I asked him about his process, to which he replied, “I am a messenger between the real world and the viewer. This isn’t about me, it’s about what’s going on, and how do I best show it to the world.”
At the time of the interview, I thought his reply was refreshing and noble, but I didn’t give it much more thought. However, as time went on, I began to reflect on it more, and the further I went down that rabbit hole, the more I realised that maybe I should take a leaf out of his book.
Will I now change my North Star when it comes to photography? No, but this is an angle I want to incorporate further into my work somehow. What that currently looks like, I am not sure, but this approach is one that I feel is interesting to consider. Perhaps there will be another blog on this in a few years once I have more answers, but for now this is a reminder that no matter how many years you are into photography, you are always learning, and sometimes you have big “aha” moments that might change your entire direction.
Jorge Interview
I'm in the same boat as you. I take photos to show my perspective of the world to others, which is as selfish as they come. But perhaps I can see things from my perspective that nobody else can and that deserve to be seen by more than just me? I'll think about that, something new may yet come out of it. 🤔
There are several ways to practice photography and none is right or wrong. What matters the most is that we do what we enjoy and there may be situations where we photograph 100% to ourselves because it’s fun to chase the light and other times that we’re trying to make an artistic image and other times it may be totally about the subject and the story in a very noble way.