Photography News Issue 30 absolutephoto.com
Interview 40
Fundamentally my photography is for me alone, it is my way of looking at landscapes, as an expression of an undying love for the outdoors…
Left “Looking directly down the vertical cliff face of Kilt Rock was a daunting prospect, but it gave an unorthodox perspective, made more interesting by a slightly extended exposure time.” Above Joe Cornish at work at The Roaches, Staffordshire, taken by David Ward.
This Land
What are your highlights from working on the This Land project? Not really one highlight, but overall it was wonderful to travel around the landscapes of Britain, that controversial yet immensely interesting political construct (and my home), and be reminded that it is varied and magical for landscape photography. How long did it take to create the book and what was involved? It depends on how you look at it. You could say that I only got to do the book based on reputation, and that is based on over 30 years as a photographer working on landscapes in Britain, (my first book was published in 1986). And the earliest pictures in the book, of Orford Ness, were shot for the National Trust in 1992. But it has taken three years since the first discussions, to the book being launched.
When it came to the final selection process how difficult was it to decide on which images to feature in the book? Errr, fairly difficult. Imade the decisions, along with Joni, our designer. The writer, Roly, had some input on the cover and I must credit the publishers with leaving the picture selection decision-making process, the most important process in determining the success of the work, entirely to us. What do you hope to achieve with these images and book? What does anyone hope to achievewith a book? Obviously it would be nice if we sold one or two copies to people. Fundamentally my photography is for me alone, it is my way of looking at landscapes, as an expression of an undying love for the outdoors, and everything in the wild world in
particular. If that love finds some resonance with others, then I am of course happy and grateful for that. Are you pleased with the final result? Pleased? That sounds a bit complacent doesn’t it? Smug even. In reality I am anxious, and scared, because in spite of the fact that part of me couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks the truth is that, as a photographer, your images are your art, your life, and the closest thing you have to an expression of self. So if it fails it will be like a dagger through the heart. But hope springs eternal, so I amalso a little bit excited as well. What’s next? I’d like to say, a long rest! There are one or two projects in the pipeline, but I can’t really talk about them at the moment.
This Land brings together 50 locations, chosen by Joe Cornish and Roly Smith, that represent the variety of the British countryside. This Land is available from this month, priced at £30
franceslincoln.com
joecornishgallery.co.uk/gallery/item/ this-land-pre-order
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