Five year cycle

I totally understand about feeling like an endless plateau has been reached after shooting pretty much exclusively at Studland Bay House for the last 8 years or so, and having a studio for a few years before that. Shooting the same image, but with different faces. Not saying that's what you do - but I know I did. Covid has forced me to shoot outside and its given me a new lease of life with photography, the difficulties and hazards of English weather, hordes of tourists, herds of bullocks, wet dogs and cyclists absolutely everywhere has made it a rather interesting challenge and very enjoyable to be honest. You and I share the same Jurassic Playground, I cant believe its taken me so long to use it for model shoots and maybe you might find it as much fun as I currently do?

Just a thought

Do you print your work?

"Can I say at the outset, that I have no wish to significantly change my 'style', nor reduce the number of images or start ordered folders"

You say this but if you don't change the conditions you can not expect to escape the plateau. Only you can decide what route you take.

If you mean where to geographically, the boss and I spent a few weeks in Cambodia a few years back.  Possibly one of the most photogenic places I've ever been, with (at the time) very little in the way of restrictions on where you could go.   I wasn't into model photography back then(nor could I have afforded to take one, and the boss might have been a little nonplussed) but I can't help but feel you'd do some amazing stuff there.   Unless it's all changed.  (Or you've been there before)

BTW I'm with you on the 'leave the images around / nuts to folders by and large' principle.

Edited by ADWsPhotos

Afrofilmviewer said

Do you print your work?

I rarely do these days, but others do.

FlashingBlade said

"Can I say at the outset, that I have no wish to significantly change my 'style', nor reduce the number of images or start ordered folders"

You say this but if you don't change the conditions you can not expect to escape the plateau. Only you can decide what route you take.

Thank you grasshopper. :)

My 'style' has evolved over many years without any conscious effort on my part and I don't think it constrains me or prevents me from exploring further. The reference to number of images and folders has little to do with my work as a photographer, but is strictly a tiny shopwindow on the web.

ADWsPhotos said

If you mean where to geographically, the boss and I spent a few weeks in Cambodia a few years back.  Possibly one of the most photogenic places I've ever been, with (at the time) very little in the way of restrictions on where you could go.   I wasn't into model photography back then(nor could I have afforded to take one, and the boss might have been a little nonplussed) but I can't help but feel you'd do some amazing stuff there.   Unless it's all changed.  (Or you've been there before)

BTW I'm with you on the 'leave the images around / nuts to folders by and large' principle.

Edited by ADWsPhotos

I have been to the Cambodia/Vietnam/Laos triangle and agree that it presents something of a photographers' paradise. The truth is I have left landscape and cultural photography behind me concentrating on model work.

Ken P said

Where to next?

Hello

You mean covid? Do you find photography for you is more about the social experience of meeting models versus just the end result of images, it's just you highlighted the point about interaction and friendship? I think whimsical is a fairly accurate depiction of your work, I personally really like the creativity in your portfolio, the editing isn't to my style but you clearly invest time into an idea. There is a wide range of styles, models, lighting, poses, locations, etc. 

Have you only been shooting for 5 years? I see a photo of Mimi and I'm pretty sure she's not been modeling for like 5 years. I'm surprised you only have 35 references, I would have thought you've easily with over 100 models. Also, I noticed you've shot a lot with very experienced models, do you think maybe it would be more challenging to work with newer models? I guess when you mention you are shooting for yourself that implies you can afford to hire the very model to pose? I'm pretty jealous you can afford to fly 4 models to India and Kashmir just to shoot. 

Love this

New challenges? Film? Polaroid? Shooting at night time? More of an opulent location? Could you mix your whimsical style into street photography? Could you shoot couples? Maybe male models? Maybe more dance images? 

Also do you not use any other websites, or you only exclusively upload on Purpleport?

Ken P maybe a print project is the way to go?

It's ultimately what I want to do with my work. I also want to try and make somewhat more expansive pieces. But that is always at a cost.

Ken P said

...

I don't shoot for anyone, but myself (and maybe the model who has chosen to trust me), my budget is only constrained by bouts of common sense. I enjoy the fruits of my labours and the social interaction/friendships with models. The problem is I have reached an endless plateau. I need more of the buzz that photography used to provide. Courses or Societies is not the answer, quite the opposite.

Where to next?

And yet you feel something lacking.

Add something

Subtract something

Change something.

Limit one or more things - add a constraint.

Shoot for someone else

(Not much room for altering your budgetary constraint)

The fruits of your labours.  In what fashion manner or sense do you enjoy them?  (I like looking at your pictures, I suspect I'd like looking at them if I'd taken them and hung them on my walls, but you don't usually print now).  What other ways might they be enjoyed/do other people enjoy their results, do you like any of those?

The plateau - are there peaks visible around, or are you actually on the summit?  If so, mountaineers would go looking for other summits of the same type (but you've photographed on multiple continents - not perhaps all), climb it in winter, climb it in one day instead of 3, climb it direct or by other routes, climb it without pitons, solo it, climb it and jump off with a parapent.  I'm not sure what the photographic equivalents of those are.

The buzz. 

A distant acquaintance of mine wandered and circumnavigated the globe with an EOS 5D making excellent images.  Returning to New Zealand he acquired brass and Mahogany and fabricated a camera for 12x8" plates which hand-coats with a slurry he prepares himself. I think he has thus far forborne from making his own lenses.  Personally I don't much like the results, although they seem to be good of their sort, but he gets, I suppose, a buzz from it.  Like you he does something complex difficult, pressured and important/critical of error for a living and i think appreciates having a hobby where it really doesn't matter.

Without changing the style, can the subject alter?  Would macro interest you? 

@vishpateluk said

Ken P said

Where to next?

Hello

You mean covid? Do you find photography for you is more about the social experience of meeting models versus just the end result of images, it's just you highlighted the point about interaction and friendship? I think whimsical is a fairly accurate depiction of your work, I personally really like the creativity in your portfolio, the editing isn't to my style but you clearly invest time into an idea. There is a wide range of styles, models, lighting, poses, locations, etc. 

Have you only been shooting for 5 years? I see a photo of Mimi and I'm pretty sure she's not been modeling for like 5 years. I'm surprised you only have 35 references, I would have thought you've easily with over 100 models. Also, I noticed you've shot a lot with very experienced models, do you think maybe it would be more challenging to work with newer models? I guess when you mention you are shooting for yourself that implies you can afford to hire the very model to pose? I'm pretty jealous you can afford to fly 4 models to India and Kashmir just to shoot. 

Love this

New challenges? Film? Polaroid? Shooting at night time? More of an opulent location? Could you mix your whimsical style into street photography? Could you shoot couples? Maybe male models? Maybe more dance images? 

Also do you not use any other websites, or you only exclusively upload on Purpleport?

Yes Covid, typo.

Whilst I value the social aspect of model photography, it will always be second to any images produced. I spent 8 years of my early life travelling the world, shooting for two London agencies. Most of it was for books, travel brochures, annual reports, TV backgrounds etc. The maxim always was, exclude people or cars, primarily because this dated images and reduced their shelf-life. After a very long break, I rediscovered model photography (I did my first studio nude shoot when I was 16) about 10 years ago and have stuck with it because I enjoy it and think I am reasonably good at it.

The 5 year experience thing is a PP aberration. I joined when PP started, but left after 4 or 5 years and rejoined 5 year ago. In part this explains 'only' 35 references, but to be quite honest I don't attach a great deal of weight to the system and don't pursue them in order to get numbers.

I don't agree that I shoot a lot with experienced models, many of my sitters are new, unknowns or have gone on to become 'experienced' models. The truth is I prefer working with newcomers, but give preference to established models when travelling abroad.

I have done too much wet photography ever to want to go back there. I owned one of the first Land Polaroids in the UK in 65. Sorry, just a novelty in my books. Night photography is out because I revel in natural light. I am too interested in the characteristics of the human face and micro expression of emotion for dance work.

I regularly submit to 1x.com (https://gallery.1x.com/member/kenp ) and have a website here http://tuppence.click 

Thank you for your detailed response.

MidgePhoto said

Ken P said

...

And yet you feel something lacking.

Add something

Subtract something

Change something.

Limit one or more things - add a constraint.

Shoot for someone else

(Not much room for altering your budgetary constraint)

The fruits of your labours.  In what fashion manner or sense do you enjoy them?  (I like looking at your pictures, I suspect I'd like looking at them if I'd taken them and hung them on my walls, but you don't usually print now).  What other ways might they be enjoyed/do other people enjoy their results, do you like any of those?

The plateau - are there peaks visible around, or are you actually on the summit?  If so, mountaineers would go looking for other summits of the same type (but you've photographed on multiple continents - not perhaps all), climb it in winter, climb it in one day instead of 3, climb it direct or by other routes, climb it without pitons, solo it, climb it and jump off with a parapent.  I'm not sure what the photographic equivalents of those are.

The buzz. 

A distant acquaintance of mine wandered and circumnavigated the globe with an EOS 5D making excellent images.  Returning to New Zealand he acquired brass and Mahogany and fabricated a camera for 12x8" plates which hand-coats with a slurry he prepares himself. I think he has thus far forborne from making his own lenses.  Personally I don't much like the results, although they seem to be good of their sort, but he gets, I suppose, a buzz from it.  Like you he does something complex difficult, pressured and important/critical of error for a living and i think appreciates having a hobby where it really doesn't matter.

Without changing the style, can the subject alter?  Would macro interest you? 

The 'plateau' metaphor is sinking its teeth in to my backside :). Let me substitute 'level ground', suggesting no discernible upward progress. I'd like to think that there is further scope to improve and advance in my chosen niche. I've travelled the world with a 5x4 Linhof Technika under one arm and a bag full of sheet film under the other and I am grateful to the technology that has replaced them (I no longer require rising fronts an backs).

I can frequently see the beauty and skill in macro work, but beyond that, it leaves me cold.

Afrofilmviewer said

Ken P maybe a print project is the way to go?

It's ultimately what I want to do with my work. I also want to try and make somewhat more expansive pieces. But that is always at a cost.

Probably not for me. 7 or 8 years ago, I printed a fair bit, but then realised that they just disappeared into a drawer. I tend to lose interest in past work, in fact some of it embarrasses me, but that to me is a good sign, because it suggests I might be improving or more critical.

Far be it from me to offer you any critique as your port is PP's version of the National Portrait Gallery - somewhere I will happily wander and enjoy admiring all the work that's displayed, even if it isn't a style I shoot myself.

But in terms of where you go in the future, I once read an interview where you said you knew you could do much better, and shoot with people who can provide you with images better than you ever imagined. I have no idea who or what you had in mind when you said that, but I wonder if you have fully explored that avenue? 

Paul

Looking at your portfolio, it strikes me that perhaps you really want to be a painter? Lovely portfolio by the way.