Over the past 5 years, I have been inspired and influenced by many photographers, but I do have my favorites! I thought I would begin a short blog series to share some of them with you.
Harry Borden
Anyone who knows my journey as a photographer will know I love the work of Harry Borden, particularly in his book ‘Survivor’, published on Holocaust Memorial Day 2017.
Little did I know as a read a review on Survivor, whilst traveling home after my first London trip to photograph my grandmother’s neighbor, that the following year I would be on the way BACK to London to meet Adam and Alicia Melamed Adams, both featured in Harry’s book- and with Harry Borden’s advice on my mind; ‘don’t pretend to be someone you are not with skills you don’t have. Just be yourself. you’ve got this.’ He was incredibly helpful, taking the time to speak over the phone from his home in Devon, a county we also shared significant connections with.
Moshe Shamir. © Harry Borden 2017
Mayer Braitberg © Harry Borden 2017
Borden’s images stand out for their interesting aesthetic and simple beauty. I would love to emulate his style, but have been on a journey where I have learned to trust my own approach, reflecting the relationship I build with those I photograph. His work still inspires me however; I am endeavoring to step back from close-cropped studies of a face and take in the environment. ..something I aim to do more and more. I am drawn to faces, I love people and wish to invite the viewer to make eye contact through my portraits, but there is something about including the surroundings in which they are framed.
If you wish to look at more of Harry Bordens work, please visit his website;
https://harryborden.co.uk/about-harry/
Adam Adams © Harry Borden 2017
Jon Nicholson
Another photographer who has helped me personally is Jon Nicholson. Famous for his work with Formula One, (especially Damon Hill), and coverage of the war in Darfur, amongst many other projects he has undertaken, I first encountered Jon at a talk he gave whilst I was studying for an HND at Nescol in Aberdeen. I was blown away by his work and drawn by the moving way he described it; especially the tales of the women he photographed in Dafur. I think, from that point on I decided to aim higher, to consider it might just be possible to become involved in photography that took risks to enable the stories of others to be heard.
Ayrton Senna, Imola 1994 by Jon Nicholson
Linford Christie © Jon Nicholson
I met Jon again for breakfast at the café in Gray’s School of Art in 2017 whilst I was still studying at college and about to embark on my project ‘Fragments that Remain’. We spoke for ages, sharing backgrounds and histories, he was so encouraging. We discussed ways to photograph abandonment and loss, and he urged me to go back to the beginning and record the places that mattered in my family story. I took Jon’s advice, and sought him out again and again whilst preparing to make the trip to Israel to photograph victims of terrorism. He was always so helpful. In the end, I digressed from some of his advice; it simply wasn’t possible for me to take the time to plan and execute the shoots in the way he suggested, but his words to ‘remember you are a photographer first, save the emotion and cry on the plane’ stayed with me along with many other things.
The feet that walked to freedom. Darfur 2007 © Jon Nicholson
Jon gave me hard-learned and valuable professional advice; having covered the absolute worst of human suffering, he considers getting a photograph to the world paramount, and his feelings come second. I admire Jon greatly; he has great sensitivity to his subjects, he is funny and brilliant at his craft.
I did not cry on the plane. A few times I shared the tears of the parent who was sitting for me, but I pushed everything down inside, unable to cry until many months later when I finally brought myself to re-listen to the stories in order to type them up. It was hard then to stop them and focus on the job at hand. I think I cry even more now, 18 months after I met with the survivors. They each made their way into my heart, and in many cases we have stayed in touch, their stories remaining with me and becoming a part of my own.
I will always be very grateful to Jon, for his time, excellent technical advice, for firing my imagination, and encouraging me to go for the projects I had conceived.
To view Jon’s work, please visit his website:
Jon in Sri Lanka using his Hasselblad 503 ©Jon Nicholson