Photowalker: Jamie Lawrence
Photography is not an inherently social activity: It doesn’t require other players like football, or an opponent to compete against. When I think about photographers, I think of the lonely early-morning treks to catch the sunrise, the solitude of waiting in a hide for a hare, or standing in a field at midnight shooting star trails. Even when the subject is other people, the photographer is still working on their own.
That’s why it comes as such a joy to experience how well a photowalk works! Just because photography is not an inherently social activity, doesn’t mean it can’t be extremely successful when in the company of other togs. Last year was my introduction to photowalking, and I managed to attend two photowalks in Cork – hopefully I can double that number in 2010.
One thing I noticed on my first photowalk was that we tended to hunt in packs. This is great on several levels: if you’re not comfortable taking photos in public, then having 20 other togs around is sure to make you feel better. It also reduces the worries you might have about exploring places on your own with a bag full of expensive equipment.
It’s also interesting to see what other people are shooting. Quite often I’d see a photowalker intently focusing on something, before I eventually figured out the image they’d seen – and which I’d completely missed. And it’s always a buzz seeing the uploaded photos over the next few days and marveling at all the subjects you missed, or other’s interpretation of those you didn’t. Perhaps more important than the photos is the chat before, afterwards, in between and during the photography. It might be general chit-chat with like-minded fellows, a chance to compare (or borrow) new equipment, or the opportunity to make a real-world connection with a digital friend (it’s particularly satisfying when you finally meet someone you’ve only ever met on Twitter, Flickr, or pix.ie).
Last year I published a daily photoblog, put together a photobook and attended photography seminars… but the photowalks I attended stand out as easily my most productive and enjoyable hours. No other activity sparked my creativity, resulted in as many shots I could reuse on my photoblog, or brought me out of my comfort zone to
experiment with new subjects… all in 3 hours on a Saturday!
Jamie’s photos can be found at hotoffthememorycard.com and he’s tweeting as @hopeless.
Nice one Jamie, I think you have captured the essence of Photowalks brilliantly. I have been to a few myself now and each time they get better, I meet more like minded people and I nearly always get to learn something new or pick up a new tip. It’s a great forum to encourage photographers to get out there. Like you say, It’s great to have the added comfort of being with a group, especially for the night time walks.
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