Peter Cripps Photography

Okay, I know this is only a promotional video for a new camera but I do encourage you to take a look at this one. You can fast forward through the bits where they discuss the camera if you wish but do listen watch the bits about the photographer himself, Sam Abell.

I had not come across the documentary and National Geographic photographer Sam Abell before viewing this beautifully shot video. I am thankful for Fujifilm for asking him to make this short documentary (for that really is what it is).

You can find more of Abell’s work on his website here and read a brief bio of him here.

The image I have included to head this post is one of mine when, I now realise, I was practicing what Abell refers to as the technique of “composing and waiting” (see 3:08 in). Abell says that this has been his “mantra” and the “foundation of his photographic practice all of his life”.

It’s a simple but incredibly powerful technique you can, I believe, use in any genre of photography but, in particular, landscape and street photography. As Abell says, you first compose the picture then wait. Wait for something to happen that animates the image.

If you are lucky this could be in minutes, less so, several days!

For me, with my image, this was when the woman carrying the small child walked in front of the huge picture by French street artist JR pasted on the side of Tate Modern in London. The juxtaposition of the vulnerable young white woman and child in front of the large image of a black man holding, apparently a gun appear to tell one story but not the actual story if you take a closer look (and read about it here).

Luckily I did not have to wait long to get this shot but have not always been so fortunate. That however is really part of the joy of photography, slowing down and waiting for the right moment to materialise.