Peter Cripps Photography

Some years ago, 2014 to be precise, I joined a group of photographers on a short break in Venice organised by Olympus. The trip was led by two UK based photographers, Steve Gosling and Neil Buchan Grant who, at the time, were Olympus ambassadors.

On the first day we met in one of the many small squares or campiello’s for an early morning coffee to get to know each other and discuss plans for the three day visit. One of the questions posed to us was what did we want to get out of the trip. I was last to offer my thoughts, which was good as it gave me time to formulate a concern that had been at the back of my mind for a while. What I wanted to do, I said, was to somehow avoid the photographic cliches that would be so easy to create in what is after all one of the most photographed cities in the world. How could I make some images of this place that both captured its true feel whilst being somehow different from all the other millions of photographs that had been taken ever since the invention of photography?

Fast forward 10 years and I discover that there is a word to describe this feeling/concern. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows defines vemödalen as being “the frustration of photographing something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist,”

Although I did not know I was expressing my fear of vemödalen that morning in 2014 I did look for approaches in which I might try and find some way of photographing Venice in a different way to avoid recreating the typical tourist pictures.

I have revisited these images many times over the last 10 years, usually by re-editing them which I now realise is one way of trying to seek something new in what may have been captured previously. Though some may say that, from a documentary photography point of view, this is a bit suspect I believe it is perfectly legitimate. It is often only after images are allowed to ‘mature’ and are viewed many times you start to see different things in them which you can accentuate through editing.

Having given this more thought, and by doing some online research for ideas, here are seven strategies you can employ to break out of a vemödalen mindset and rediscover the uniqueness in your work.

1. Adopt a Personal Perspective: Instead of focusing on creating something entirely original try to inject your personal experiences, emotions, and thoughts into the images you make. Maybe this is best done by creating a series or project that documents your own journey, interests, or knowledge of a local environment. This personal view is less likely to have been done before.
2. Experiment with Techniques: Try out different techniques, such as long exposure, reflections, motion, infra-red or zooming in to create a more abstract image.
3. Use Post-Processing: Use post-processing creatively to define your own style. A photograph can look more unique when you apply a distinct colour grade, grain, or texture or maybe create a composite image.
4. Change Your Viewpoint: Rather than going where everyone else has gone try seeking out subjects or areas that are often overlooked. These could be everyday objects, textures or moments in time.
5. Accept Ubiquity: Just accept that in a world with billions of images ubiquity is inevitable and uniqueness probably impossible. Instead just photograph what you see and present it in a completely unedited form.
6. Impose Creative Constraints: As I’ve written here imposing limitations can spark creativity. For example use only one lens, shoot only in black and white, or set a time limit for a photo session.
7. Study Other Art Forms: Photography, like any other subject, should involve continual learning. Try exploring other forms of art (painting, music, literature) to gain inspiration. The principles of composition, rhythm, and storytelling often translate across mediums. Also, don’t be afraid to look at what other photographers have done before, not to copy but to adapt and modify accordingly. The images of Venice created by Inge Morath have encouraged me to re-interpret my own work in this way.

Finally, maybe we should not be expending too much energy in forever seeking out the uniqueness of an experience. Maybe it should be about reconnecting with the joy of the process rather than the outcome. When you’re absorbed in the act of creating and getting into your flow, the result often feels more meaningful.

Below are a set of images from my 2014 trip. You can decide for yourself if I have achieved something unique or at least a bit different with these?