Thinking about personal voice

Here are some details of research into what Personal Voice means (suggested by my tutor) - following feedback from my TAOP assessment that I need to progress in finding Personal Voice.

4 Tips to Finding Your Photography Voice - guest post

http://clickitupanotch.com/2013/06/4-tips-to-finding-your-photography-voice/ accessed on 16 February 2014

This article talks initially about the copy and inspiration phases (also mentioned below), which is where I'm at.  Then focus on what is happening to you in your life and connect through that to photography.  And don't look for outside validation (this is why I stopped going to a camera club) - break the rules - do what suits you.  Enjoy the process - enjoy what you're shooting.

Finding Your Photographic Voice - interview with Edward Burtynsky
 
http://bigthink.com/videos/finding-your-photographic-voice accessed on 16 February 2014:

The message in this article is quite simple - use other people's images as inspiration (print - stick on the wall), and then use your responses to develop your own autobiography - create a narrative - make a meaningful group of images.

10 Questions That Will Help Your Find Your Voice

http://www.accidentalcreative.com/creating/10-questions-that-will-help-you-find-your-voice/ accessed on 16 February 2014:


I found this a very helpful article.  It begins by making the point that imitation is part of the learning process, which I think is where I am at at the moment: trying techniques I see other photographers have mastered in order to learn.  But eventually, a photographer has to find personal voice.  This is a deliberate process (not accidental) - and be prepared to dislike or be uncomfortable with what you find!

So here are the questions and my thoughts:

1. What angers you? Animal poaching, cruelty and illegal trafficking.   Animals kept in captivity in cruel conditions (like whales/dolphins in aquaria).  The recent incidence of the young giraffe Marius being put to sleep by the Copenhagen Zoo.
2. What makes you cry?  Baby elephants (why?) and stories of people overcoming the odds, like the tale of Owen Howkins and his dog.
3. What have you mastered?  Don't know...my work is still quite hit and miss across a variety of subjects...nothing yet....
4. What gives you hope?  Plans - having travel plans give me hope.
5. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?  Police officer or vet.  I am neither.
6. If you had all the time and money in the world, what would you do?  Stop working in an office and get outside.  Travel.  Visit animal sanctuaries around the world.
7. What would blow your mind?   Seeing a blue whale.  Visiting Antarctica - maybe trekking across Antarctica.  Seeing a convecting lava lake.  Climbing Everest.  Seeing a snow leopard in the wild.  Bathing with Japanese snow monkeys.  Hmmm...this looks like a bucket list....Ah... the article asks for 40 things, here goes (in no particular order): 7 Mexico - giant crystals; 8 China - panda sanctuary; 9 Japan - Climb Mt Fuji; 10 Arizona/Utah - walk in the canyons; 11 South Africa; 12 Climb Mt Kilimanjaro; 13 Arctic Trek to North Pole; 14 Arctic Safari (walruses); 15 Having my own exhibition; 16 Winning a major photography award e.g. LPOTY; 17 Running London Marathon; 18 Trail running; 19 Having a book published; 20 Selling a photograph to a stranger; 21 Being published by a magazine; 22 Photographing an erupting volcano; 23 Joining In Public; 24 Being part of a photography collaboration; 25 Photographing Northern Lights over Jokusarlon; 26 Workshop with Maciej Dakowicz; 27 Producing a monograph work similar to Cardiff After Dark; 28 Seeing gorillas in the Virungas; 29 Revisiting Moscow; 30 Circumnavigating the planet by public transport; 31 China - walk the Great Wall of; 32 Volunteering in a large cat sanctuary; 33 Making that final mortgage payment; 34 Galapagos; 35 Namibia; 36 Complete my BA Hons Photography; 37 North Korea; 38 Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia; 39 Street Photography in New York; 40 Street Photography in Hong Kong
8. What platform do you own? Internet, oh and I work for Thomson Reuters.
9. What change would you like to see in the world?  No more animal cruelty, more even distribution of wealth.
10. If you had one day left, how would you spend it?  At home with my husband, cats and dogs, and a bottle of champagne.  

And then use these thoughts to resolve to engage!