Benedict Brain is a UK-based photographer, journalist and artist. He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and sits on the Society’s Distinctions Advisory Panel. He is also a former editor of Digital camera Magazine, and the author of At the end of this book you will be able to take great photos.
How do you capture the feeling of a place in a still image? This is a question I constantly ponder as I travel the world. I generally end up with more questions than answers, but that’s a good thing. I often find that the most interesting photographs raise more questions for the viewer than they answer, so it seems fitting.
Most of the time I experience new places in fleeting moments. Because of the way I travel, I don’t have time to form deep connections or get to know a place. I usually wander around aimlessly with my camera, a lens (35mm equivalent) and a flash, walking down streets that look interesting or poking my nose (and lens) into this and that.
The limited time I have to work forces me to act quickly and intuitively. I’ve learned to like this way of working, even if it’s not without its frustrations. The fleeting impressions I get shape my sense of place; I’ve started to focus on small details, little corners and vignettes of life, feeling drawn to the everyday and turning my back on epic tourist vistas.
This image is from Mexico and for me there is something undeniably Mexican about it. I have spent some time in Mexico over the years and this pair of images, presented as a diptych, captures the atmosphere. The color palette of reds, pinks and yellows, the bright, intense and harsh light and the splash of dust on the old car all express my impressions and feelings about the place. The subject is almost, but not quite, irrelevant, but that too plays a role in the atmosphere of the place when you look closely.
These images will be part of a big project I mentioned earlier in this column. The working title is “In Between.” I already have too many images, but I feel the urge to make more. I’m even about to start a Masters in photography, which should help me make sense of all this – and (hopefully) many other exciting things. You’re never too old for school!
• More articles in the Series “The Art of Seeing”
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