16 13 April 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

Technique avoiding clichÉs

Afterabandoninga clichédbeachon

theIsleofEigg,Scotland,I walkedfor

anhouracrossa rockyshorelinetoa

smallerbeachthatyieldedoneofthe

moststaggeringshotsofthetrip

T

hemodernlandscape-
photographyworldis a
complicatedaffair.Although
a camera,a fewlenses,tripod,
filters,mapanda greatideaseemtobe
allit takes,therealitycanbesomewhat
different.Desperateforrecognition
andsocialacceptancefrompeersfor
ourefforts,especiallyonline,thereis
growingpressuretoconformwithour
creativity,ratherthantakethemore
difficultpath– exploringandpushing
ourownpotential.Witha clichéinour
sights,arewepayinghomage,demoting
ourcreativitytotrophy-hunterstatusor
arewelearningtoplaya coversongby
copyinga popularcomposition?
I rememberwhenI firstbegantoplay
theguitar,thefrustrationwasimmense.
Nothingwassimple,everythingwasso
complicatedandalthoughI feltI had
potentialwellingupinside,I lackedthe
techniqueandknowledge.Attheendof
yourfirstguitarlesson,yourteacherdoes

David Clapp

David Clapp is a restless landscape, architectural and

travel photographer. A jack of all trades, he works for

Canon UK, is a stock photographer for Getty Images and

leads exciting photographic tours across the world. He

recently received a direct fellowship from the RPS.

Visit http://www.davidclapp.co.uk.

All PICtUReS © DAVID Cl APP

W hen to

avoid t he

clichés

Bagging an iconic landscape is great for

many photographers, but knowing when to

explore alternatives is vital for expressing

identity as an artist, says Dav id Clapp

Not your conventional shot of Cambridge, this was taken with an infrared camera further up river