Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-01-25)

66 25 January 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Final Analysis

TimClinchis anaward-winningprofessionalphotographerwithover 40 years’experience.OvertheyearsTimhasworkedin mostareasof theprofession,hashadhisworkpublished in magazines worldwide,
and has had more than 30 books published featuring subjects as varied as interiors, travel, food and portraits. To see his work,visitwww.timclinchphotography.com.

TimClinchconsiders...

‘Portrait of Masha’ by Natela Grigalashvili

Photo Critique

I

tis veryseldomthatthetwo
disciplinesofa strongstoryand
beautifulcompositioncome
together,butwhentheydothe
sheerpowerandbeautyofanimagecan
providealmostoverwhelmingemotion.
Witnessmyalltimefavourite
photograph,DorotheaLange’siconic
‘MigrantMother’.Thesheerpowerand
sadnessconveyedbythisimageandthe
storyofDustbowlCaliforniainthe1930s
cansomehowovershadowtheabsolute
perfectionofthecomposition.Lange
herselfadmittedthatshewassomehow
overawedbythisimageandshenever
managedtorepeatit and,tosomeextentit
hauntedtherestofherimpressivecareer.
ThephotographsinGeorgian
photographerNatelaGrigalashvili’s
remarkableprojectTheDoukhobors’
Landachievethisrareandremarkable
combinationtime after time. Image
afterimage.

ExiledbyRussia
TheDoukhoborsareanOrthodox
Protestantsociety,whichappearedthree
centuriesagoinRussia’sTambovprovince.
ExiledbytheRussianTsarandrelocated
toGeorgia,Doukhoborsfoundedeight
villagesinJavakhetiRegion,biggestof
themwasGorelovka.Theyconsider
Javakhetiasa holyland,andcallit ‘the
Doukhobors’Land’.
Infaiththeyrejectallmaterial– crosses,
icons,evenpriestsandchurchrituals.
Duringbirth,marriageanddeath,they
conductsimplerituals.TheysaythatGod
is everywhereandineverything,especially
inthehumansoulandeverypersonitself
is a temple.
Thelast 20 yearshavebeenespecially
difficultforDoukhobors.Noonecansay
whymostofthemhavedecidedtoreturn
toRussiabutlackofopportunitiesin
educationandworkis forcingthemto
leavethevillagesandthecountry.
Makenomistake,thisis exceptional
photographyatanylevel.Natela’sworkis
closetoperfectionandwhysheis not
world-famousis a mysterytome.This
portraitis exceptional,andthewayit fits
seamlesslyintothebeautifullyconceived
and executed story should be a lesson to us

all.It has,likeallherwork,a simplicity

anda beautyofcompositionthatseems

effortless,butwhichbeliesa brillianteye

andanawfullotofhardworkand

dedication.

It mightalsobeofinteresttoyouhowI

foundoutaboutthisremarkable

photographer.Theanswerwilldoubtless

upseta lotofsupposedly‘serious’

photographers. I stumbled across her work

onInstagram.Natela’sfeed(@natela_

grigalashvili)is,likeallherwork,a joyand

if evertherewerea reasonforeachand

everyoneofyoutofi n a l l y putasideyour

misconceptionsofwhatInstagramis all

about,letthisbeit.It is nolongerthe

placeforteenagegirlstopostpicturesof

JustinBieberandfluffy kittensbut,

withouta doubtthebestandmost

interestingplacetofindtheverybestof

photography.

I hopeyoulikethispictureandtherest

ofthisremarkablephotographer’sworkas

muchasI do.AmI sayingthatherwork

couldbespokenofinthesamebreath as

myhero,Dorothea Lange’s? In a

word... yes.

© NATELA GRIGALASHVILI

‘Natela’sworkiscloseto

perfectionandwhysheis

notworld-famous is a

mystery to me’