IN FOCUS is a series of articles where we ask some of the UK X-Photographers to give us advice, provide insight into their photography and share some of their favourite images of all time. In this blog, we wanted to go in search of the most inspiring locations for photography.
1. Lake District, UK – Mark Gilligan
“It has to be the Lake District. The diversity of seemingly endless landscapes is captivating. I named my business after Wast Water and that will always be a special place for me. I recall standing on ‘the slabs’ looking at it on a very damp summer’s afternoon and I had that ‘wow’ feeling. If it could be that impressive in dour conditions, just what would it be like when the sun came out to play? It didn’t take long for me to get that answer!”
2. Cuba – Chris Upton
“Cuba is a unique country stuck in a time warp, but which offers such rich photographic potential from its stunning range of landscapes, beautiful architecture and wonderful friendly people. Oh and of course the thousands of 1950s American cars! But if you want to go be quick it’s changing fast.”
3. Kathmandhu, Nepal – Saraya Cortaville
“Wherever I travel, people always ask me where my favourite place is, and to be honest it’s a pretty difficult question to answer, having been lucky enough to travel to some incredible places.
However Kathmandhu in Nepal, has to be up there as one of my favourites. The vibrant colours and textures, beautiful characters and amazing scenery make for a wonderful location for portraiture. In particular, Pashupatinath Temple on the river is hugely atmospheric and culturally very important to the Nepali’s. Whenever I am there I try and have a good walk around at dusk when the light is just magical and the atmosphere is inspiring.”
4. Hong Kong – Derek Clark
“I have a great love for Hong Kong. I like to walk the streets early in the morning when the sun has just risen and photograph the newspaper vendors handing out papers to people going to work. Or I might go out at night and shoot the amazing harbour skyline from the Kowloon side; the light from the buildings is powerful enough to light up the sky.”
5. Isle of Skye, Scotland – Ben Cherry
“I have been fortunate enough to visit many truly breathtaking places with work, but a location I keep on returning to for some space, visual inspiration and weather to keep me on my toes(!) is the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It’s a truly awe-inspiring place. Despite it becoming more and more popular during the summer months, I really enjoy escaping here during the winter months; the weather is always changing and against the dramatic landscapes makes for plenty of photographic opportunities.”
6. Katmai Peninsula, Alaska – Chris Weston
“It’s impossible to pick a single subject in a location as a favourite; I mean how do you make comparisons between a gorilla and a tiger and polar bear? I’m definitely a mammal person. I rarely photograph reptiles or insects, for example. If you told me I had one shoot left before I die, I’d pick the Katmai Peninsula in Alaska and the brown bears and wolves that feed off the annual salmon run. For me, it’s the last best place on Earth.”
7. Somewhere new – Chio Fernandez
“My favourite place to photograph is the one I have never been before. I absolutely love exploring and discovering new places. I look around me and observe the differences between the new and unknown and the old and familiar and I try to document both with my camera. I like to find the beauty in the quotidian and ordinary and I find that a great way of doing this is to ask myself: what do I want to remember from this moment, day or experience? Memories are beautiful and powerful, and that’s why I love photography.”
8. Pett Level, Sussex UK – Paul Sanders
“My favourite locations are Brixham in Devon and Pett Level in Sussex. I find myself totally connected with these locations and I love the simplicity of the images I create there.”
9. France – Kevin Mullins
“I’m extremely lucky as wedding photographer in that almost every job I do, is in a different place. This year alone I have shot weddings right across the UK, but also France, Ireland, Portugal and even inside the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway.
My personal favourite style of wedding location is a French chateau. I’ve shot several over the years and if the weather is good, the wedding is usually outside and offers a very different perspective to the typical wedding venues found in the UK.”
10. Tuscany, Italy – Damien Lovegrove
“I love photographing people who want to be photographed. I take full control and style each shoot completely choosing the location, clothing, hair style, makeup and of course the lighting. At the moment I’m inspired by earth colours and this year I’ve been shooting in the deserts of Arizona and abandoned villas in the hills of Tuscany.”
11. Dubai – David Nightingale
“Of all the places I’ve shot in recent years I think my favourite would have to be Dubai. It’s a visually stunning city, especially in terms of its architecture and the surrounding desert, but it’s also a city that’s teeming with life just waiting to be captured: be it street photography in the souks, life on the boats on the creek or the wide range of activities in the nearby desert.”
More from the X-Photographers
X-Photographers are the official Fujifilm ambassadors. To find out more about the global X-Photographers, visit fujifilm-x.com/photographers.
I would have to say London, people, history, architecture, grey days for those black and whites!
I’m with Ben Cherry, Skye, it doesn’t seem to matter which direction you point your camera there’s stunning views to capture.