It doesn’t matter what you photograph or what genre you get involved with as long as you remain true to the reasons for getting involved in the first place. However, I can see why you are labelled as an HDR photographer regardless of the proportion you say are actually HDR. Almost every image of yours looks over processed, as is so much of the HDR stuff around these days. For many amateurs it has become a crutch for piss poor photography and bad exposures. Even forgetting HDR / pre HDR people were pratting around with saturation sliders in PS in the belief that the more overkill the colours the better the image is.

Now I have said before that your photojournalism images are ACE, (it’s the only reason I still subscribe to your blog), in composition AND content (really ALL that matters in PJ)however they STILL look over processed. Even if they are not HDR they ‘look’ HDR with shadows to highlights all screaming for attention. Now in some, like the picture of the girls in bikinis on a wet Liverpool day, I loved the green reflections in the shadows on the street but in others the images look garish (maybe that’s what you intend, but it’s what I felt).

I feel that your ’style’ or technique often overpowers the very subjects themselves and that is not good IMO. If style overpowers content and message then something is wrong in my opinion.

If you want to break away from the HDR label then you may need to re-evaluate the techniques you employ (or moderate them or whatever).

Wouldn’t it be better to be known as the chronicler of everything Liverpudlian than the guy who makes most things look unreal? It’s why your B&W versions ALWAYS become more arresting IMO because I see the subject within amazing compositions, not an overworked style.

These are just my thoughts following your questions on the blog. Hope the thoughts may be of some use.

Best wishes
Glyn

@Brian – I’ve just checked mine. Over the past 2 years I’ve got about 1/4 of the visitors from Liverpool as I did London. Its a bit odd that a photoblog about Liverpool gets more traffic from London than here. Manchester isn’t far behind Liverpool. I would agree with Matt that its better to get a portfolio first and then make a living from it. Job security etc.

@P3dro – I see your point there. In some respects I may have asked the wrong question. As you say, on the flip side it confirms that things I’ve aimed for I’ve achieved. I did set out to do great HDR work and I’m known for it. I did set out to document Liverpool and I’m known for it. So I’ve succeeded there and I should be happy with that. I guess my worry is whether I should be more focused on one key area and things.

@Andy – Exactly. Thats my worry. Now its hard to escape the HDR “issue”. My guide is no.1 on google and on the first page for HDR. Oh and I sorta wrote a book on it Ansel Adams is known for brilliant b&w’s of Yellewstone and the zone system he made. Actually, now I write that its not that different to me. He focused on a place he loved, Yellowstone just as I focus on Liverpool. There is that question regarding clients. What do they know me for? Quick answer is commercial work. My love is people n places. My site clearly shows that. Maybe I’m just being impatient. I’ve built it and they do come, so I should be happy with that and keep at it.

@Steve – Theres no danger of me being a wedding photographer. It really not what I could do on a weekly basis. A couple of times a year is fine, but I prefer to do my friends weddings as its more fun.

@Anthony – Noted I guess what I do works so I should be happy and keep on it.

@Photonutter – Yer I know Adams did other things but thats what he’s known for. In a way thats who he is, or at least thats who we see him as. What am I? A HDR photographer of Liverpool, to put it simply.

@Norbert – Thing is, I wouldn’t spend all day waiting to take a photo. For one the light would move and what was good in the morning would be very different later. I’d know better than to sit there all day and I would go out when the light is right. When you’re standing there in the moment it is just one moment where everything works and you take the shot. When you’re sitting at home processing you can take your time and find what works and doesn’t. It frees you up to play with that moment. I do spend more time processing than taking and thats simply because I have the freedom to. I don’t believe a week of bare minimum photos would really do anything other than point out that I rely on processing. My camera simply isn’t up to the job of capturing what I see. I really do believe that processing should take 2nd place to the content, which is why its a worry that people see my processing as a bigger deal than my content.

HDR is a technique, but it is a young technique – especially in photography terms. You are known as one best exponents of it around. Is that a bad thing? OK there are nay sayers who don’t think that it is ‘real’ photography – the same type of people who said digital was never going to be good enough… or that colour film was untrue to the form… etc etc.

You are known for taking photos of Liverpool because that is what you shoot most of – and do so well.

I think people had it right a few years ago. Shoot what you love and be happy doing it – it will only reflect well in your work.

When I saw your question posted on Twitter I instantly thought ‘HDR’. As you’ve pointed out, a large percentage of your shots aren’t HDR at all but each is heavily post-processed IMO. As a result, I think you’re correct – people know you for your PP style rather than the genre of photography you shoot.

I guess the question you’re presenting boils down to who is going to employ you for what job? For those prospective clients you’ve never had contact with previously, what will lead them to pick up the phone to you rather than the other hundreds of photographers who are all vying for business?

That’s a difficult one. I’ve been following the excellent video posts on http://www.zarias.com/ (I can’t remember which episode it was when he addressed this question, but I think it was: http://www.zarias.com/?p=330 ), I think it’d be very worthwhile you checking out a few of his videos.

If photojournalism is your chosen genre maybe it’s time to really get out of your comfort zone? Is there any project *away from Liverpool* which you’d really like to document?

Where Nachtwey is known for his war photography (and is now documenting the fight against AIDS & TB), and Burtynsky is known for documenting the affect of mans industry on the landscape, what is your passion?

http://www.zoriah.net/blog/2009/04/photojournalism-technique—robert-capa-if-your-pictures-arent-good-enough-youre-not-close-enough-1.html

Actually, Pete, that’s not quite right.

The question you asked on Twitter was: “Question time. Regarding my photography, what would you say I’m most known for?”

I’m not being picky or pedantic. Had you asked the question in a different way, you would have had very different answers. If you’d simply asked: “What am I?” (as per the title of this blog post) then I’ll wager there would have been a slew of people going “WTF – you’re a photographer, aren’t you?”

By asking the question you did, you almost funnelled the answers into “HDR” and “Liverpool”. And that’s hardly surprising. You ARE known for HDR. There’s a guide on Vanilla Days about HDR – it ranks super high on google in a search on the term “HDR”. You put yourself up there as an HDR exponent. You did that. No-one else. And that’s not criticism; that’s praise.

The same goes for the Liverpool bit too in some ways. You can’t help that – you photograph Liverpool. I’ve read enough of your posts elsewhere to know why you do it (as opposed to, say North Wales or Birkenhead).

Please, please be grateful for the responses you had. They confirm what you have set out to do and what you have achieved.

I also know you have your highs and lows – again, you make no secret of it. As I was thinking about the response to your post I couldn’t get rid of the scary parallels between some of the things you say and the thoughts of out of my head.

Oh, and the answer to the question is: I’m a photographer.