Spending time With Martin Parr

Martin Parr

Atlanta shut down for approximately three days as we were weathering a winter storm.   While we were stuck inside my shooting schedule had to change.  I had planned to shoot all three days we were locked up.  I had to reschedule my shooting for after the storm so the question became what will I do during the storm?

One thing I am learning from is the study of great photographers.  To study their work inspires me.  To see them do what they do and talk about their work gives me ideas and makes me look at my work and the creative process in new and exciting ways.

During my time of being locked up I spent time with Martin Parr.  You can pick your mentors.  Where I may never meet Martin Parr nothing can stop me from spending hours looking at his images and scouring over Youtube and Vimeo videos that feature him and therefore he becomes a mentor.  I spent three solid days in my self designed Martin Parr workshp.  Spent hours looking at Martin Parr’s books:

Martin Parr: Home and Abroad

Home and Abroad

Marin Parr: The Non-Conformists
The Non-Conformists

Martin Parr: Life's a Beach
Life's A Beach

Of Parr's work these three (above) are my favorites with Martin Parr: The Non-Conformists being the one that is presently in my bag.  The life he brings to the mill town of Hebden Bridge is simply amazing.  He took five years to document this town.  Simply amazing work!

I watched twenty-five videos that featured him.  The one that I liked the most was:

No Worries: Martin Parr – FotoFreo 2012

You see Martin Parr going about his work.  He is cool, calm and collected when he does what he does.  He walks, is patient and spends time literally in the midst of those he is connecting with as he creates images.  This moves me to be more patient.  It isn’t about how many images I take per day but how many connections I make each day.  It is through seeing and connecting that the images will emerge.

Parr connects with the spirit of the people and the experience he is photographing.  I have to connect.  To get the story, to get the image, to capture the spirit it takes connection.  Parr understands the backstory to the story he is photographing.  He helps me see the key is not so much the bigger picture but rather the details. He says, “My job as a photographer is to turn those details into images that can communicate to a larger audience.” While not disregarding the bigger picture, it is those small details, those thing the average person would miss that the photographer must see.

To see him interact with those he was photographing and sometimes even coaching them “not to smile” was something that I don’t do when doing street photography.  Parr showed me the need to engage and talk with those I am photographing and not be afraid to set up the photo.  If the set up is true to the setting and you are using props that bring the image alive then use it.

Parr records what he calls “normal life.”  This was good for me to hear.  We can record “normal life” because life as lived is worthy of being recorded by the professional photographer.  This “vernacular” photography is worthy of what we do. Thanks Martin Parr for depositing in yet another way of seeing and creating.  Now off to shoot…..the storm has passed and I must go and create.  Who are your mentors?  Who are you listening to?  Whose is inspiring you to take your craft to a new level?