Meet Neil Douthwaite - The Photographer from the UK
The Little Red Camera - When I was a kid I had a red plastic 35mm film camera and I loved taking photos of the farm I grew up on but even before that, I loved to play with old cameras that were lying around. I was fascinated by the shutter and winding mechanisms for the film and the satisfying sounds they made. At school, I would mess around with a tiny little digital camera and take pictures of classmates. It was so basic that sometimes the images were just noise and distortion. I kind of liked how you never quite knew what the result would look like.
When I was at University I got myself a compact camera which I took on a trip around Iceland. The resolution was appalling but some of the shots were awesome. Somehow the crappy sensor created its own atmosphere, like a kind of digital Lomography. I was at a festival one year and took the camera to the front of the crowd. I got a shot of Michael Stipe looking really intensely at the crowd. Although it wasn’t necessarily the greatest shot I was so pleased I could capture such a cool moment on such a rubbish camera. I think that really started to fire up the passion in me. As soon as I had some money I bought my first DSLR and started to photograph everything. Although mirrorless cameras have moved on so much I’ve always stuck with DSLRs because their mechanical nature and the sound they make feels more satisfying and seems to mark the moment you are capturing more than an artificial bleep.
Around the world - Usually, I have been able to travel two or three times a year to various countries for work. It makes quite a difference to the photography I do. At home, my focus is usually on the countryside where I live, which changes almost every day of the year. When I’m travelling I am usually based in a city and so photography gives me an opportunity to explore during my down-time. I’m particularly attracted to cities at night time. The contrast created by artificial light usually simplifies the shot and allows you to focus on a single subject much more clearly, of course, it’s more difficult though.
I find that this takes me to different parts of the city than I might have seen otherwise and certainly more than the office buildings I might be restricted to otherwise. Of course, people become more important to this sort of photography than they are when I’m just in the countryside. I tend not to go for portraits but like to look for people living and working in their natural context. For me, photography forces you to look beyond the obvious scenes and pictures. It challenges you to see things from a different angle and look for an unconventional view of the subject. When you are travelling photography takes you from a sightseer to an observer which I think is more interesting. Travelling for work often means I’m surrounded by a safe environment, usually a very European way of doing things. Getting out into the city and seeing different parts of it gives you just a glimpse of how people are really living in the place.
Be the best - I strongly believe that it’s the tough times that give you inspiration and direction but that you do your best work when you are in a good place. For me being able to get outdoors and exercise are important. I’m never at my best when I’m so busy that I can’t do those things. You need to look at yourself honestly and ask what you need to do to be the best you can be. It’s not easy and it’s not always possible, especially with a young family, but it is important. Ultimately we are all driven by different things and we need different things to do your best work. There’s no point copying others because what works for them probably won’t work for you. You need to find what you enjoy and do that, even if others think it’s strange or difficult or unproductive, if it’s what puts you in a good place, that’s what matters.
A Darker Place - I think that my photography goes one of two directions. I love wildlife photography but frankly, my equipment isn’t really up to it and it takes serious time to do it properly. My favourite shots, and the ones I go back to time after time, are the ones which capture a mood or atmosphere. I think a lot of my work edges towards a darker place than a lot of other people I know who aim to create something beautiful. I think this means that a lot of my photography can create quite different reactions in people, they tend not to be ‘pretty’ images.
One of my favourite places in the world is the Orkney Islands in Scotland. It typifies the type of landscape photography that I like to do. The golden hour creates some fantastic shots but even when the light isn’t perfect, during a storm or when only a few rays of the sun are making it through the cloud, the landscape is big enough that you can take advantage and give the shot some drama. With its abandoned homes and ancient monuments, it has a real atmosphere and gives some fantastic opportunities. When I’m in a city I tend to look for something quite different. I look for little vignettes of life. People who are part of the city and what they are doing. There’s a lot of light and shade in a city and capturing that gives me the most satisfaction.
Be Yourself, Always - In terms of photography. I don’t care about the technology of photography. I like to keep it simple and I’m never looking for the latest stuff. My motto is that the best camera in the world is the camera you have with you. Only the camera you are carrying can capture a moment you will probably never see again.
And on life? Who knows? Everyone needs something different and that’s what makes the world an interesting place.
You need to be yourself. Do things you want to do for no other reason than wanting to give them a go. Don’t be afraid to try, and ignore the people who criticise you for doing so. Following the crowd or some blogger because they look like they’ve got their stuff sorted, is a waste of time, they haven’t. We’re all just trying to figure stuff out for ourselves and life would be no fun if you had all the answers given to you would it?
Find out more about Neil:
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Blipfoto