The Narrative Lens: When to End a Project?

Suilven [Inverpolly National Nature Reserve, North West Scotland]

Sometimes it can be difficult to know when to end a project. We may ask ourselves ‘is there anymore I can say about this subject?’ - I think it is best to be honest, to trust our inner voice. Deep down, we know when something has exhausted itself. We may not feel the same enthusiasm and excitement which caught our imagination at the beginning. This is completely normal. Occasionally, we simply need a break from the project, returning to it at a later date.

This particular photograph was made in July 2022. I’d been working on ‘Where Ravens Soar’ since 2018. I spent two weeks up here on this particular trip and took less than ten photographs, despite the absolute grandeur of the location. I was stood admiring this vista of Suilven, watching the light passing over the landscape. When a raven kindly flew into the scene, I knew this would make a suitable closing shot for the project. It was a relief in some ways. This project taught me so much about myself and the direction I needed to take. It was a journey of healing, of letting go of the past and of connecting with a landscape through creativity which I had never previously experienced. In fact this project shaped my entire ethos and aesthetic. My work has always been less about the dramatic single frame and more about what happens when you remain somewhere long enough for its subtleties to reveal themselves. The Irish poet John O’Donohue wrote “Landscape has a vast depth and subtlety of presence. The more attentive you are, and the longer you remain in a landscape, the more you will be embraced by its presence”.

Simply one of the most incredible skies I have ever witnessed, over Assynt. No AI here! Although it looks unreal it has had minimal processing, in fact I had to tame it down a little as it looks so unreal.

In a culture saturated with images, I am interested in slowness. In depth over spectacle. In projects that speak to deep time, to human traces on the land, and to the quiet dialogue between absence and presence. Everything I create, whether a published project, an exhibition, or a mentorship, grows from that philosophy. If this resonates with you - as a photographer, curator, publisher, or simply someone who values a considered way of seeing - don't hesitate to get in touch!

I’m currently putting the finishing touches to the eBook for 'Where Ravens Soar' which will be released in a couple of weeks. Please feel free to subscribe to the website (if you're not already) to receive the update, subscribers will be the first to know. I’m also considering giving a talk, via Zoom, discussing the series. It would be great to get some feedback on this in the comments/or a message if you’re interested! See link here Contact/Subscribe.

I do hope you have enjoyed my current feature in this month's issue of Black+White Photography. It is always a privilege to have work published in my favourite photography magazine. You can purchase the full project "Where the North Winds Blow: The Wild Purity of Unst" in eBook format at the link here.

Lastly, thank you for the interest in my new "Working With Project Mentorship" - if you mssed this, please feel free to have a peek at the link here.

'Erratic' with Stac Pollaidh behind. Assynt, North West Scotland.

In the next blog post I'll be discussing plans for my first physical photobook!

Talk soon,

Karl.