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James Bessey
@jdbessey
Landscape photographer based in the UK
My interest in photography seems hereditary. Growing up, my dad’s obsession with documenting key moments, capturing travels and having the latest technology is something that I became accustomed to as a ‘norm’ in my life. As kids, my sister and I were lucky enough to be able to use any of the technology my dad owned, as he believed experiential learning is more valuable than losing or breaking his kit (they were heavily insured though).
"As I felt a growing need to be creative as I got older, photography was the tool I used to fulfill this."
I always wanted my own camera, an SLR that I know by heart every setting and every button function and have a lens for every situation. Nevertheless, through travel I’ve learned that it’s not important to have everything in your kit bag. After a while you understand your requirements, your environment and you quickly become prepared for your surroundings even though nature can always surprise you. The moment I knew I wanted to pursue photography was actually at a friend’s wedding. I took some photos on my phone, quickly edited them and they turned out pretty well, I noticed a lot of the guests were using them on social media. I received some great feedback and I think this was the push I needed to get more involved in photography and invest time and money in my passion.
"I bought my first Sony DSLR about three days after the wedding, I was intrigued by the design and the capabilities and I’ve never looked back!"
When I just started I remember having limiting thoughts like, ‘I don’t know how to do that’, or ‘I can’t afford that’ and I needed to overcome these obstacles that I created myself. I always thought it was a little embarrassing not having the best kit – there is a tendency in my personality to care more about the design of something, compared to how it operates – but I quickly learnt that it’s more about what you know and how you use it. Knowing the fundamentals allows you to create beautiful images with any camera and to edit accordingly with any editing software.
"Applying a preset seems an easy solution in the beginning to finish up your photos, but using the presets and different courses on editing should only be a guide to help you get started."
The fun starts when tweaking it to your taste and learning about what the specific tools are doing to the photo – understanding your light curve, how to use a split tone and how a simple contrast change can completely change your photo. Personally I have been inspired by other creators either for photography or travel. @Shortstache is always the account I most look forward to seeing a new post, I like clean images that are unnoticeably edited, subtle changes that make a professional capture and he has certainly mastered this. With regard to travel, @kylevollaers and @withluke have inspired me to visit places I ended up falling in love with.
"My passion for travel probably stems again from a young age."
My mum worked for a hotel chain, so through free stays we travelled a lot as a family. Now, it has become a bit of a healthy competition between friends and family who share the same passion for travel – it’s very handy to get travel tips and tricks on where to go and what to see if your closest friends and family have already been there and done it! I was always a bit of a dreamer, through cinema and TV, I’d watch Rocky and want a punchbag and I’d watch Back to the Future and want a pair of trainers that tie themselves! But after becoming obsessed at a young age with wildlife documentaries, and when I became more aware of the travels we did and all experiences that come with that, I wanted to be behind that camera taking the photo / video of animals or landscapes so that the watcher is astonished by how the shot was captured and amazed by the beauty of nature.
This hypothesis is something I can relate to; sometimes you get that overwhelming feeling that you need to be outside, going back to the roots of human nature and capturing something totally unique in remote places. Go somewhere new to explore or somewhere known to find more details and new compositions. I’m not at all a philosophical person, I don’t walk through a forest and feel I am connecting magically with nature, but I do think nature is and should be a foundation in every person’s life. From when I can remember I just wanted to be outside! This feeling pulls me towards the outdoors, it’s a drive for discovery and to get out of the comfort of home and away from the phone.
"Travel and discovery is my daily motivation, it’s what inspires me to get through the day and works as a focus, as something to strive for."
My main goal is to experience something different from my everyday life. I enjoy the challenge of not understanding a language and having an unforgettable journey to access something worth seeing! Getting to know more cultures, meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone to experience something you will never forget.
"My most impactful moment was in Peru, my friend and I woke up very early and walked up the trail from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu."
It wasn’t an easy walk at four in the morning, but we managed to get to the front of the queue. Now, they only let so many people in a day and we wanted to be the first! We rushed as the gate opened to the point where I knew the best photos were taken after much research. We set the camera up and waited for the cloud and mist to disappear, but after seeing the wonder, I stood in awe and just wanted to experience the mystique before I turned on my camera. It was a sight to behold and I do not regret taking in the situation before getting that first shot.
"I travel to satisfy my desire and ambition to visit as many countries as possible, whilst capturing the countries’ most valuable assets."
Having that photo that is not so commonly shot or climbing a mountain to reward yourself with an incredible view at the top gives me a real sense of fulfilment. Travel is my main ambition; it creates escapism, perspective and appreciation of life. It is an objective to look forward to and motivates me to achieve more. Fortunately I have worked hard to be able to capture the places that I visit and hopefully people enjoy my photos.
When planning a trip, we all like to be a tourist, there are photos that you want as a grounding to a trip, that famous landmark or skyline, and then in addition you want to experience some alternative, surprising things as some of the quirky to do’s and see’s can be the best and most memorable. However, I quickly learnt that this is not always the right approach and there’s not always time for everything. Regarding this, my most valuable lessons were learnt in New Zealand. I travelled there with a packed agenda and a fear that I would not see everything I dreamed of. There is so much to do in New Zealand and as you can imagine it’s one of the greatest places on earth. The hard lesson learnt was that I didn’t cover even half of what I wanted to! Mainly because of the vastness of the country and being unrealistic about the time frames.
"It’s important to research, plan and prepare fully when shooting - prioritise what you want to see and shoot personally and professionally."
Now, having shot so many photos, I also realized that it is worth printing your photos. They don’t all have to be printed on big and high quality paper – even small magnetic photos on the fridge do – but don’t keep them sleeping in your phone or computer. It’s important to see your accomplishments everyday. Fill your homes with your photos and allow yourself to smile at them, feel the happiness of those moments! It is such a small change that will enlighten your days greatly for sure.
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