Exploring the Imaginative Landscape

“As landscape photographers, we are probably more hidebound than most when it comes to constraints and restrictions for our creative endeavors,” says Valda Bailey. “The blame for this lamentable state of affairs doubtless lies in myriad directions. Which of us doesn’t to a greater or lesser extent pay heed to The Ten Commandments of Landscape Photography which include Thou shalt only photograph in the golden hour; thou shalt obey the rule of thirds; or thou shalt observe front-to-back sharpness? While I am not proposing that these decrees be summarily discarded, but only suggesting that time spent playing free from these constraints can reap huge rewards. We have the capacity to open our minds, clear out the stagnating detritus of comfortable familiarity and ingrained habits to see the world anew.”

In April, Valda returns to our SFW Perspectives online presentation format to discuss the delicious freedom that non-representational photographers are lucky enough to enjoy. “When we no longer rely on what is in front of the camera to create our images,” Valda adds, “a whole world of possibilities opens up. But that freedom comes with responsibilities as we decide what the elements within the framework work best together.”

On Day One of this webinar, Valda discusses the Influences and ideas that guide the imaginative photographer, where to find them, and how to make them our own. This is all part and parcel of finding one’s voice. Valda digs deeper to reveal how she works through her process and then demonstrates post-processing techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop that she uses to create her images.

On Day Two, Valda moves deeper into her creative process by expanding her thoughts on digital collage. The composites she makes in camera are, of course, digital collages, but why should the exploration end here? Arguably, it is only the beginning. Once we decide to start getting creative with our imaginations, the possibilities are endless. Valda examines her workflow and unwraps how she selects elements to tell the story she wants to express.

With the arrival of AI, it seems inevitable that photography will veer off on another tangent. Arguments pour in from all directions about AI, but if creating or tidying up a photograph can now be done with a string of text, it is not unreasonable to wonder whether we might start looking at more challenging ways to be creative. Certainly hand-finishing one’s images is one way of bringing back an element of tactile involvement in the process, and Valda shares her ideas, influences, and the myriad creative possibilities that exist.

Join Valda for two mornings in April for an illuminating and inspiring gaze into her creative genius and technical mastery. In closing, Valda offers, “I am primarily driven by an exploration of colour and form. Beyond that, I am interested in all manner of contrasts and contradictions and how they play out in the world around us.”