2021 Images Review

As we stand on the cusp of 2022 and as tradition dictates, I’ll do the look back on the images of the year. It was slightly different this year as the Nathan Photo ‘brand’ has moved more in different directions shooting projects, stock, archiving or so I’d thought at the beginning of the 2021 but now having lived the year the reality was quite different. Personally, as for everyone, 2021 has been a most difficult year, the research side of my practice has very much taken over most of this year so NP had to take a little bit of a back seat, but a step away from the hustle/grind has aided reflection which has made for good things, NP has finished the year very strongly!

The image selection reflects this, 2021 was a year of lockdowns limiting work opps, but I went with it, took some time out to work with it, identify what NP is and what I want it to be going forward. NathanPhoto will always veer towards the ‘commercial’ side of my practice. It concentrates more on the work that you get paid to make and shooting the projects that fit that identity. I started making/taking pictures like this in 1989/1990 and this runs up until this very month where I did a red-carpet and a portrait job so that makes a nearly 31-year career. That’s really quite some going in anyone’s book? I will state now that I’ve had a turbulent career with many downs complimented with a few ups as well. Reflecting on this I can’t help but hear the old gaggle of snappers that I interacted with over this time. Mainly with their devaluing comments about aesthetics while wearing New Balance’s, comments about sharpness as if that is the whole representation of an image’s worth, unrelated comments about practically any subject at all, all the while I felt they were missing the point of (my) images. Now with a little time to examine I can now identity these as complete toxic traits, which I guess was inspired by the cutthroat nature of the editorial world then, although not all of these can be dismissed like that. 

Anyway, back to current times, the main development of this year has been the pursuit of academia this development followed on from the discovery of later learning which was most prevalent in ’20. This dictated a split of the practice into forming a new identity in February 2020 which I’ve talked about previously over on the other channels. Thinking back through the years I realise that these splits aren’t new, back when there was only the NathanPhoto identity my Friedlander inspired work didn’t go down so well so that split into another entity, then when nightclubs and 90’s inspired fashslash work wasn’t palatable to all, these personalities split into separate entities where they can much more be themselves. I remember back when websites and the internet was just starting there was much ‘advice’ about folios and work so when discussing what to show, the prevailing advice was that if you did weddings then you wouldn’t be taken seriously by commissioning editors and vice versa. This continues today when the list of what not to do goes on with every social media ad and photographic advice piece I’ve seen…

Now as the research side of my practice is becoming the main part and (earning) side of my life, I’ve realised that this frees NathanPhoto up hugely to concentrate on the making images, analysing the archive and being employed to make images. I will also use this vehicle as a teaching resource to pass on what I’ve learned to students both technically and aesthetically aiding with the examples to illustrate learning experiences. Making the possibilities for NathanPhoto in 2022 quite exciting.

First though, I better complete the lookback over the images from 2021 one image selected for each month, difficult when you’ve done a couple of good jobs in a single month but thems the classifications. 

Here I’ll breakdown and discuss..

January brought a very contemplative time of making work, with the restrictions in place as well as all the other happenings, the image choice reflects this where I did feel that possibilities were available, hopefully this sun/rise shot exhibits this?

February brought a massive (desired for) change for me, this is reflected in the images that I started to produce, this one was a tongue in cheek checking of the value of overt HDR photography, unfortunately it went down quite well on the socials, so I’ve had to make a few more. 

March brought more change, this time with the main way that I capture images, seeing how that will work for me. This shot illustrates this with the observation of the light on the buildings as well as an idea of a project on the examination of how commercial spaces will work going forward, an interesting direction, a return to my roots possibly?

April was back to studio work, this time working in a teaching role with the technical production of images for students (and tutors) ideas for fmps, guiding the creative process while not stamping your own identity on this, yet showing what can be done is such a process and a rewarding work ethic, I do love teaching, more in 2022 please. 

May’s image brought about a documentary project which is focused on my parents aging process continues and as my care for them has hugely increased in 2021. I’m attempting to examine this aging process and what that brings, the mixture of emotions, the selfish nature of old age that is oft not discussed or is dismissed by the sense of duty that one feels towards parents. 

June brings travel back and a return to a seemingly new and familiar areas. An unrelated snap brings some importance later in the year with a contribution to a project on the horizon. This is an example of a shot taken with no definite idea but a feeling that at some point it may become useful, something seen with an inkling of some importance later. Sometimes the most useful images are made this way. 

July again brings new image making devices to test and look around, the archive stock image shooting seems to be less profitable but is something engrained into NP’s DNA so you look, you shoot, you archive. A different angle, more subtle yet made less powerful?

August and a return to shooting an old friend, the moon, think I’ve been taking images of this for years, really enjoyed producing a piece several years ago where I played with ideas of Photoshop’s power with moments of realisation. Interesting idea so I photograph the moon whenever I get the opportunity, think this was one of the blood moons. 

September brings about a shot that shows the much-changed landscape of Manchester and one I’m now involved in more. I have had ideas of resurrecting the “This is Manchester” photographic project, the original poster for the show had a Mcr landscape as its brand identity so ideas have surfaced again through this image so it’s inclusion is a necessity. 

October brought a trip to the Van Gogh experience, which was populist and an amazing show, I did think of the inclusion of the Van Gogh face masks as another tongue in cheek image but went with the documentation of the show instead, there’s also a few captures of images of human behavior but felt that these may be viewed slightly derogatory so they’ll slip into the archive for readdressing at a later date. 

November and the inclusion of another of my loves which combine both cooking and the symbolic nature of ingredients, there’s a funny family story associated with sprouts that I may tell one day. New kitchen placing combines with new capture device inspires the production of a different type of image (hopefully). 

December brings a return to the red-carpet at the Lowry, one of my more natural environments over the years and a lovely way to round off the year so the inclusion of this type of image is a must. I do love it when boards have props too. What a great team and place to work for. 

Phew that’s quite the read but hopefully a little insight into thought processes, through editing and selection hopefully you get an idea of what NP is all about. 

What next for NathanPhoto in 2022? Well, I envisage the main areas of work will be sorting of the archive with thoughts of how this can be packaged and passed on to my kids so hopefully they can make some money from it! I’ll also be seeking work with portraits, documentation and studio work foremost in my plans as well as a return to shooting stock, and as they return, I’d possibly like to shoot a gig or two this year as well. The production of projects both for publication and as complementary work for my studies with the added benefits for mental health. That’s the plan anyway. 

No matter what happens though this year I know that all these experiences will feed into my educational practices where I’ll be looking for more opportunities to teach in the coming year. 

Sounds like ‘22 may be a busy one!! 

Thank you for reading and here’s to the New Year, may it bring you both what you need, and what you’d like, as well as peace and cheer. Hoping to see you in 2022.