The power of putting yourself out there
A few weeks back I wrote a post about what I learned by putting on my first exhibition, Southern Shores. That post covered technical things like how to print and hang photos for cheap, finding the right space, and DIY marketing. I learned a lot about all those things and more. But I also learned about the value of putting yourself out there.
At times, photography can feel like a private pursuit. It’s mostly done alone. And involves getting to know a lot about yourself and how you interpret the world. Putting your photos on display is a way of inviting other people into that private world you engage with every time you go out with your camera. It means opening yourself up so that others can get an insight into how you think, feel and see. That can be kind of scary. But it’s rewarding and an important experience to go through as a photographer.
Talking to people face-to-face makes you think about your own process
An exhibition offers a chance to get a deeper understanding of how people understand your photos. That understanding goes beyond the cursory comments one finds on instagram and other online platforms. One of the strongest lessons from Southern Shores was how important it is to be able to get face-to-face feedback from people. It made me think about my perspective and process.
I was heartened to have a long conversation with one of the people who came to opening night. He asked me a lot of questions about what I look for in a shot and how I interact with the people I photograph. His questions made me think about my process and discuss things I’ve understood subconsciously but haven’t fully verbalized before. He mentioned that for many of my shots he needed to take a second look to get a fuller understanding of what was going on in the frame. He said that on closer inspection he saw things he hadn’t seen the first time round. I hadn’t thought of my photographs in that way before. It was good to hear that outside perspective and actually question myself on what it is I look for in a shot.
I was interested to hear that quite a few people noticed the effect of shooting with a wide-angle lens. People commented on the ‘up close’ feeling of some of the shots, especially the photo of the fisherman under the net.
Muizenberg. 2017. Brendon Bosworth.
I’ve been shooting with a 28mm lens since I started out with photography two years back. And there are times when I really doubt that I’m doing the right thing and regret not having a longer lens. I feel I miss lots of shots because I’m not close enough. In some of my photos the subjects are just too small. But I know that when I get in close and time it right the effect of the wide-angle is unparalleled when it comes to bringing the world kicking and screaming into the frame. Hearing people comment on that feeling of being right up close to the subjects in the photos validated my choice of a wide-angle lens. It made me thankful for the few decent shots I’ve made with it.
Having a project or exhibition gives purpose to your photography
Preparing for Southern Shores gave my photography purpose. I’ve been shooting at the beach in Muizenberg for the past two years with the idea of documenting the area for a long-term project. The specifics of that project, however, remained nebulous until the beginning of this year when I felt I had enough photos to do something with. Once I got confirmation from Barry that he’d like to collaborate on Southern Shores I spent a good few months preparing for the show. As I mentioned in my previous post, that involved a lot of time editing the photos, working on marketing, and working out how to hang them on the wall. During this period I had a single-minded focus on what I wanted to communicate with my photos. I think that’s one of the things that can be missing when out just shooting generally with no project in mind. Now that I’ve had some positive feedback from the exhibition I’m working on using the photos in another way for an upcoming festival. And since I will keep shooting the beachfront area inline with my interest in how people interact with public space in Muizenberg and surrounds I feel like I’m building momentum for what’s yet to come from the project a few years down the line.
Ultimately, hosting Southern Shores was a solid learning experience. I got to feel the thrill of picking up a heavy envelope full of 18×12 prints from the lab, and the painstaking precision that went into hanging them. I met some new people who prompted me to think about my work in ways I hadn’t considered before. And I realized I don’t have to be afraid of putting myself out there.
