The Narrative Lens: Moving from Disjointed Frames to a Cohesive Photography Project

We are taught to hunt for the "masterpiece" - that single, loud frame that stops a scroll. But for those looking for a deeper meaning, perhaps wanting to become a serious artist, the masterpiece is often a dead end. It tells a story that begins and ends in a 125th of a second.

If you find yourself with a hard drive full of beautiful yet disconnected images; you are simply standing at the threshold of a much deeper practice: The Narrative Lens.

The Art of Tuning In

My process does not begin with the tripod. It begins with hours, days, and sometimes weeks of simply being there, in the landscape. This is a practice I shared deeply with my students during my three years as a Visiting Professor at Musashino Art University in Tokyo.

In Japan, there is a profound respect for "Ma" - the space between. I wonder if anyone is familiar with the above painting by Hasegawa Tōhaku? This work and many others by Japanese artists have been hugely influential for me personally. In my photography I take great inspiration from artists and the natural world itself. This is one of the most beautiful paintings I’ve ever seen. The negative space here creates such balance and mystery with the trees fading into the background. I find it incredibly meditative and calming. Ma is a kind of space where we can just be still. And it doesn't just apply to imagery, it can relate to the every day, even space in sounds, so in music for example, space is important. I really love this concept, and once we grasp it, it can work so well for producing balanced images.

I have found that it is only through long-term exploration that the "noise" of the everyday fades, and the landscape begins to speak. It does take a certain amount of patience to reach this state of being. You tune into it until it becomes impossible to ignore. One doesn't necesarily "find" a theme; very often it finds you.

Identifying the Motif

Eventually, patterns emerge. A recurring curve in a coastal scene, the meandering nature of rivers through a landscape, a chance encounter with a creature, or a motif of "solitude" that continues appearing in your frames.

• The Spark: These motifs aren't just visual; they are emotional.

• Realisation: When you stop looking for "pretty" and start looking for "meaning," your work shifts from a collection of photos to a unified body of work.

The Weight of the "Deeply Felt"

Fine art is the externalisation of an internal state. My project Forest Visions was born from a feeling of claustrophobia that I couldn't shake, followed by sanctuary and healing. To create a project that resonates with others, it must first be deeply felt by you. If the work doesn't move the creator, it will never move the viewer.

The jump from "taking photos" to "curating a project" is the hardest leap a photographer can take. It requires a different set of eyes. During my time at Musashino Art University, I developed a curriculum specifically designed to help photographers find their "inner voice." I now offer this as a Private Project Mentorship - Are you ready to stop wondering and start building?

Click here to view all the details.

We will strip back the technical noise and focus entirely on your "Narrative Lens" - turning your recurring motifs into a gallery-ready series.

I have applied this exact 'Narrative Lens' framework to every major project of my career. In fact, this methodology is the reason every one of my series has been featured in Black + White Photography magazine - including my latest article 'Creating a Sense of Place' featuring my work from Unst, Shetland Isles, which is out in the current issue today. On my mentorship programme, I show you how to take your own 'Narrative Seed' and see it flourish into publishable work.

Learn about the Project Mentorship

With Black + White Photography #311 out now!

You can purchase the featured series "Where the North Winds Blow: The Wild Purity of Unst" in eBook format at the link here.