Inspiration is truly everywhere, no matter the medium you choose to work with. Whether you want to find the story behind a piece of work, or create a story inspired by a picture, I think one of the most beautiful things about art – no matter the medium – is the ability to tell or find a story.
Paintings and artworks may be littered with symbolism; they may capture a moment in time; they may recreate timeless stories. Photographs can be snapshots that memorialise a significant moment; they may reveal something deeper with a bit more exploration. Writing is perhaps the most obvious example of literally telling a story, but there are different reasons they may resonate.
As a former English teacher, I’ve always been in love with picking apart the symbolism in literature. As a photographer, I love finding messages from nature in what I capture. I absolutely adore the subjective nature of the arts – how we will apply our own understandings of the world, our own experiences, thoughts, opinions and knowledge to our interpretation of something. As a deliberately naïve artist, I find immense joy in exploring the story that unfolds from simple mark-making.
The Royal Academy of Art has a lovely resource for exploring the storytelling in an image, with a range of prompts to engage with in uncovering the hidden depths of artwork. I think it’s an excellent way to engage with art in more depth, or even to find prompts for pieces of creative writing.
This element of storytelling is something I try to emulate in my own photography. Although I may photograph seemingly mundane scenes and subjects, I think there is something magical about the objects I capture. The light, the textures and the colours are just as important as conveying a message as the subject of my photography. The context of where I was, my emotional state when out with the camera and the season contributes to what I’m capturing.
It’s for this reason I chose to incorporate storytelling into my photography prints [link to store section]. Whilst I want viewers to engage with my work in their own way, I think understanding the perspective of me as the artist can add a new element to understanding, engagement, and appreciation with a piece of work. Here’s an example of how I incorporate a personal touch into every print I have for sale.
Every time I see a candlesnuff (Xylaria hypoxylon) specimen, I’m transported to an otherworldly scene – a party of ghosts haunting the woodland.
Subject
A saprotrophic fungus – meaning it feeds on decaying matter – this unassuming yet fascinating fungi is known for its potential in fighting carcinoma and its gentle bioluminescence (under the correct circumstances). With this image, I’ve tried to capture the contrast and symbiosis between decay and life: the stroma of this specimen branches out and looks like it is both writhing in agony and undulating in pleasure. The soft edges produce a sense that the specimen is simultaneous there and not there.
Themes & Considerations
Memento Mori is a well-known Latin phrase meaning “remember you must die”. It is an inevitable fact of life that our time in this realm must end at some point – that is the nature of life. Whilst this is an unsettling fact for many people, or one that we prefer to ignore, I rather enjoy Kafka’s “The meaning of life is that it stops.” Would life have significant value if it were not for the fact it ends?
The cycle continues; we must embrace the dark with the light.
Explore more unique art prints for your home that embrace storytelling through photography on my Ko-Fi store.
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