Just when I thought I knew a place really well, it showed me another side of itself. I often think this when I return to walk in the landscapes that I like to photograph and draw. One of the most inspiring discoveries of my journey has been the unexpected diversity, and wealth of inspiration and images that result from a developing relationship with any one place. A discovery that could only ever be made by returning to walk the same pathways and pavements again and again. There is a great rhythm in this that I find really appealing: like the changing and returning of the seasons; and a wonderful warm feeling that one can really ‘belong’ to a place.
There are of course the things you would expect to vary between visits such as weather conditions; changes that come with the seasons; the effects of light at different times of day; and a variety of viewpoints. But there is something else that is harder to explain. Something special that comes from knowing: from looking and experiencing again and again. It seems so obvious to me as I write this down. If we don’t invest in our relationships, to take the time to get to really ‘know’, that we will only ever scratch the surface and never reach any depth of understanding and feeling. It is this depth that I’d somehow like to express with my work, and wonder sometimes if the ‘knowing’ and ‘feeling’ can be captured into the surface of a photograph, or brushed between the layers of a painting.
There are several places that I visit in this way and would like to get to know more and more. All are within travelling distance of home; all are places that I love to walk in; and all have featured in my work again and again. This isn’t because I’m not prepared to travel. I have holidayed all over the UK and beyond and always enjoy making work on my trips. There is more satisfaction somehow in developing a deeper sense of a place, than there is in ‘scratching the surface’ of a place; which although exciting, never really feels like enough. I want to go back again and again until I feel the same way about the ‘new’ place as I do about the regular haunts.
The following is a small selection of the photographs that I have made on an area of salt marsh near my home in north west England, between December 2012 and March 2015. Please click on a photo to view in the carousel.
All images copyright © 2012-2015, Debbie Yare, All rights reserved
Please take some time to have a look through my painting and photography galleries. My new print gallery and shop at The Print Area will also be opening for business very soon, I’ll post more information about it over the next couple of weeks.
I’m always interested to read your comments. Please take a moment to share your thoughts with me, using the form below.
Joe Zellers
I couldn’t agree more, Debbie! But if I did not your images would certainly convince me. Seldom have I seen such a beautiful and profound example of the connection you have to a place.
Debbie Yare
Thanks Joe, I really appreciate that. I don’t follow many photographers that do this much, with the exception of yourself and perhaps a couple of others. I think you can definitely start to see those connections, especially if you see a lot of the images in sequence. Your woodlands are great examples of this.