Capturing the Essence of a Place Through Photography

When we travel to new or different places there can be a temptation to try and photograph iconic landmarks or look for well known 'honeypot' locations. I know that I used to do just that and I felt that, with these particular shots to take home, I had indeed captured the essence of the places I visited.

As I continue further into my photography journey, my opinion on iconic landmarks has changed and I no longer line up with dozens of other photographers to capture iconic vistas, beautiful as they may be. I still want to capture the essence of a location, but I like to find other ways to do this.

I have previously written some posts on this topic, which are linked below, but in this post I want to explore this theme of 'essence of place' in a deeper way.

Over the last year or so my approach to photography has evolved, thanks in part to inspiration from other photographers whom I admire, but also because of a sense that more intimate, personal photography appeals to me more than images of places that I see on a fleeting visit and with which I have not established a connection. 'Connection' has become important in my photography and it was with that in mind that I brought my camera and one lens on a recent trip to Portugal.

My trip was taking me to two Portuguese locations, one that I had not previously visited and one with which I was familiar. In the 'new' location I was tempted by the famous sea stacks, the amazing sunsets and sunrises, the stunning cliffs and beautiful beaches. I was still happy to capture these images, but my photography took me further into the locations, to see what the locals see, to observe scenes that may be fleeting, to notice human interaction with the environment and signs of human influence on the environment even when no people were present.

One of my main discoveries was that the best time to do this type of photography is early morning. I went out each morning between 7.30am and 9am. The sun was shining and producing lovely long shadows, perfect for my kind of photography. Street cleaners were working getting the town ready for the coming day. Street vendors were setting out their stalls. Workers were starting to make their way to their jobs, although some stopped for a chat along the way, and the early coffee drinkers were already having their first cup of the day.

I enjoyed observing the daily routines of the local people, the morning environment, sometimes with signs of the night before, and the sense of a new beginning that the day brings. I tried to get a feel for the place, a sense of what it's like to live there. I observed interactions between people and the everyday happenings that give this place its unique character.

My images taken on this trip will stay in my memory, not because I took photographs of famous places or even beautiful scenes, but because they meant something to me. They are a documentation of my mornings, of the place I was staying in, of the people whose space I was sharing for a short while, of the activities that were going on there and of the signs of human existence even without people in the photographs.

I recommend trying this type of photography. It gives a more intimate connection with a place than 'honeypot' images, a more unique collection of pictures to bring home and a real sense of connection to your own photography, which for me is a very important aspect of any photography outing. It also has the added advantage of knowing that there is always something new and interesting to photograph, so your photography never becomes stale or boring, and these photographs are literally on your doorstep wherever you are.

I hope I have inspired you to try some more intimate, personal photography.

There are some photographers whose work may inspire you further. I particularly like this video from Rick Bebbington in which he discusses this approach. You can view it here.