Fran Halsall
This week we put the questions to UK Landscape Photographer Fran Halsall
What got you into photography ? Originally I had planned to be a painter, as I studied fine art for my first degree. However, I always had an interest in photography; my grandfather gave me a really old SLR when I was a teenager and I loved playing around with it. Eventually the photography won out, as I like working directly with light rather than painting it.
How long were you in the photography industry for ? I went professional in 2004, doing a combination of freelancing and teaching photography courses. I began retraining as a landscape architect in 2012 but carried on taking photos for a couple of years after that while I finished my third and final book commission.
Is there anywhere or anything that you’d love to photograph but you’d love to and why? Perhaps this is a bit of a cliche but I'd like to go back to Ben Nevis. I photographed the north face from the track in summer, with the heather out, but I would have liked to be there in winter with snow on the ground and much closer to the summit. I'd also like to go back to the Paps of Jura, as I never did find quite the right viewing position to see them in their full splendour.
Photography or Writing ? Both but the writing was always inspired by the photos. Ironically the writing sometimes paid better than the photography! Especially when I had a regular feature in a national photography magazine.
What do you think about social media for photographers ? Social media is a good shop window to show your work but it is hard to make an impression among a sea of images. Also social media skills are not the same as photography skills, some people are good at marketing and others miss out despite their work being good.
What’s the hardest part of working as a photographer ( if any ) ? My specialism of landscape photography is a terrible way to earn money! The prices paid for images do not reflect the effort and money that goes into making them. I did photography for as long as I could but eventually the economics became unsustainable.
What’s the most important lesson you learned from your career ? For me it was giving myself permission to photograph what I wanted the way I wanted. Rather than to try and make work for 'the market'. Some photographers shoot for stock and think about the market. Whereas I photographed the natural world as I experienced it, trying to produce something that was authentic to myself and the places I visited. It paid off because people would tell me that they could tell straightaway that they were looking at my photos. Having a signature style was what got me regular work contributing to magazines, calendars and book publications.
Who are your photography inspirations and who are they ? I have many inspirations to choose from. In no particular order: Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Joe Cornish, Fay Godwin, Colin Prior. However, I'm also inspired by many painters, I learned composition by studying Renaissance painters, such as my namesake Piero della Francesca, and how light shapes atmosphere from the landscape works of Caspar David Friedrich.
What advice would you give to a photographer regardless of gender just starting out ? Do it because you love it but don't rely on it to make enough money to live on.
What’s the one question you wish I’d asked you and how would you have answered ? That's a tough one. The question I regularly ask myself is how many more photographs does the world need? It's always wonderful to see a really arresting photograph that moves me or informs me but most of the images I see day to day are unmemorable. There's something in there about 'less is more' - all photographers should prioritise quality over quantity.
To find out more about Fran, her work and to see her images please see the links below.