Ruth Grindrod

This week we put the questions to Norfolk based landscape photographer Ruth Grindrod

What got you into photography ?

My first introduction to photography was when I was young, I was teaching in Greenwich in London, and I saw myself watching others taking photographs of the local area and landscape and I thought I would like to try this.

How long have you been shooting for ?

Back in those days of course people were using film and so I had to learn the basics of using a camera that required you to understand aperture, exposure and iso. I went to a local camera store which were of course then all independent and spent a long time talking with the salesman about different types of cameras. I bought a Nikon FE2 which I still have to this day. I keep it because it’s a really simple piece of engineering that still does what it says on the tin. It still also operates in all sorts of weathers without failing or collapsing and of course it’s still very simple to fix. To be honest I don’t shoot film very much anymore because digital has made all so much easier in terms of processing and automatically getting feedback on what you have shot. From about 30 onwards, my career and work basically took over, so I didn’t really shoot a great deal until I was in my 50s, when I was lucky enough to retire early and it’s from then on that I have established myself again as a landscape photographer.

What do you most like to shoot ?

My favourite “scapes” are undoubtedly seascapes and shooting at coastal locations and I have to say I have shot in a whole variety of awful weathers as well as much more temperate conditions. I find I am more relaxed and at ease in these locations as I’m going to be honest and admit, I’m an Essex girl and Essex girls don’t climb mountains  well when you have been brought up on the flat.  More recently I have also developed a love for woodland too.

What camera do you shoot with and what else is in your bag ?

My kit at the moment is a Nikon z7 ii with z 24-70 z 14-40 and z 105.  I also kept the beast which is the Nikon 850 with 70-200 and 80-400 lens. It’s a real work horse and a wonderful camera. I use the z7 with the 24-70 the most I think at the moment.   In the past I shot Fuji too which I enjoyed.  The other bits of kit in my bag are ND and Grad filters. I still use Grads when its necessary to balance the dynamic range and this saves on some processing too.  I use a cable release and a blue tooth release. A Head torch is always ever present as is a whistle, just in case I find I am in trouble and need to call for help. You can never have too many cloths and a lightweight cover to throw over the camera and lens in bad weather.  I always carry a tripod, and I have a sturdy Gitzo and a Sunwayfoto tripod. I have another 3 at home ….I think I must have a tripod fetish !  However a good tripod is as important as the camera you have

What’s the hardest part of working as a photographer ( if any ) ?

The hardest part of working as a landscape photographer is accepting you never quite know what you are going to get results wise.  This may be due to weather, changes in location and more recently climate change.

If money was no object, what would your dream camera be or are you happy with what you have ?

I am happy with the camera’s I have but if I had endless money, I would buy a Leica and related lenses

Do you have any photography inspirations and who are they ?

The work of Paul Wakefield I find stunning and totally absorbing. He is on social media but really, he does not need to be given his talent.  I also love the work of Charlotte Gibb and Franka Mlikota Gabler both from the USA.   Don Mcullin is also someone I admire in every way and to shoot as he did in some of the worst situations the world has ever seen is more than remarkable

Is there anywhere or anything that you haven’t photographed but you’d love to and why ?

There are many countries I would still love to visit including Japan, Parts of Canada and Indonesia.  We shall see if that’s possible.

What advice would you give to a photographer regardless of gender just starting out ?

My advice to any photographer starting out is firstly not to compare yourself to those with millions of likes on Instagram or Facebook. If you do that, you will surely fail as you will lose confidence and believe that if your photo only gets 10 likes you must be a  failure. Social media is in change not us, so remember that.  We live in an age which is going to become increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence and already we see so many photographs on social media AI generated and for me this is quite depressing as it means that so many people may never experience the real world as people who are older, have done in the past. My second piece of advice is to really learn how your camera works, not to just pick it up and point it, but to understand the exposure triangle and the relationship between aperture exposure and Iso etc and what to do in particular situations e.g. if you want to slow down waves or capture action. My third piece of advice is be prepared to fail and fail again until you get those few photographs that really do capture the essence of the scene and are technically perfect.  If you can learn to print because looking at a 3 cm photograph on your phone or perhaps larger on an iPad is not the same as looking at a print and ensuring that that print is perfect.

What’s the one question you wish i’d asked you and how would you have answered ?

The one question I wished you asked me was “do you think that women landscape photographers have a harder time of it than male landscape photographers?” and the answer to this question is most certainly YES and anybody that chooses to think otherwise I believe to be misguided. So, it’s extremely important for any woman landscape photographer to know their craft well and to be able to hold their own.  That doesn’t mean climbing mountains and surviving on a packet of rich tea biscuits and bottled water halfway up Everest, it means representing the landscape in its widest sense which is not just about dramatic scenery and male bravery.

Desert Sands 

Palette of Rivers 

autumn uprooted

To find out more about Ruth and her work please visit the links below.