Photographer of the Month — Sean Bagshaw — March 2019
When I early fall 2013 set up an account on 500px the site was still blooming with activity and engagement, and a vast array of outstanding photographers posted their inspiring work on the site. One of those who caught my attention was Sean Bagshaw. It was beyond me how it was possible to create such beautiful and striking images. This image is still etched into my memory.
Sean has been a professional landscape photographer for many years and is considered as one of the legends in the genre. He is further well known for his outstanding tutorials, and for having made luminosity masking a vital part of every aspiring landscape photographer’s workflow.
What made you start out with landscape photography?
In the 1980s and 1990s I got into climbing and mountaineering. I began taking photos to document my adventures and give slideshows. In the beginning my only intention was to record what we were doing. Gradually I became more intrigued with artistically capturing the mountain landscapes I was exploring than documenting the climbing itself.
How would you describe your work, and how has it evolved since you started out?
I hope my work feels natural, balanced, visually intriguing and clean, but I also hope it includes elements of expressionism and fantasy because part of our experiences are in the mind and not always visually literal. There is more to my experiences and imagination that I want to communicate through my photos than the camera is able to record on its own.
It must have been a huge leap of faith going professional. Have you any words of advice to those who are considering becoming professional landscape photographers?
When I made the leap I didn’t believe it would work out as well as it has. I figured it would be a fun thing to try for a few years. I was realistic and prepared for it to not work out. I decided I would rather try and fail than regret never trying. A lot of luck, good timing and intense passion combined with my past experience as a teacher are what I think has made it possible. The words of advice I always share are to do landscape photography because you love it and because you will do it whether it becomes a profitable business or not. It isn’t realistic that everyone can make a living as a landscape photographer. If your only marker for success and legitimacy is to make a profitable career I don’t think that will sustain you and it will quickly become disheartening. On the other hand, if you love it enough to have fun and stay motivated regardless of financial success then that is a quality that can eventually lead to all kinds of opportunities over time.
Have you ever been severely criticized for your work? And in that case how did you handle it?
I have been moderately criticized here and there, but that is natural. I think you need to have a thick skin…or don’t share your images publicly. You will never please everyone all the time and shouldn’t try. The only severe criticism that I have had has been rare and by people who were deliberately trying to get a reaction and who had their own insecurity issues. I can easily ignore this type of trolling. As long as I feel good about the work I am doing, artistically, ethically and morally, then I don’t pay too much attention to what other people think. I’d rather produce work that I like even if others don’t, than produce work that is popular but that I don’t feel good about myself. I also try not to be self-impressed or self-aggrandizing. I think presenting yourself that way can make you a target. I don’t take myself too seriously. It’s only photography after all.
What do you find most challenging in your line of work?
Keeping up with correspondence and administrative tasks. The rest can be challenging but a good and enjoyable kind of challenging.
Have you any hobbies? Or is photography both your occupation and your hobby?
Photography is certainly one of my main hobbies. But I don’t photograph all the time and have many other interests. I’m a big outdoor activity enthusiast. I spend a lot of time mountain biking, hiking, mountaineering and skiing. I also love traveling and exploring new places, with or without taking photos.
In which direction do you believe landscape photography is heading?
That is a very hard thing for me to get a sense of. The number of people now doing it at a high level and the evolution of camera technology is making images that would have been extraordinary 10 or 20 years ago feel boring and commonplace today. But there has to be a limit to how sensational photos can be, right? I don’t know where it will go as an industry or with the photography population. Maybe people will eventually become bored and stop paying attention? Personally, I think I will just keep following my own creative interests and trying to explore new places and see things in new ways. Looking inward and making it more personal will always provide enjoyment for me I think.
What is the most amazing place you have visited? Is it possible for you to articulate why it made such a huge impression on you?
Any time I am in a large, remote mountain environment is when I am most impacted; the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Canadian Rockies, North Cascades. It is something about the scale and ever changing perspective and dimension, combined with the layers of weather and the effort required to get there and explore. With flat landscapes you can quickly get an idea of what there is to see. Big mountain ranges provide endless perspectives and hidden compositions. Even after years of exploring the mountains will still have new vistas to discover.
What inspires you?
In photography it is the interplay of light, dimension and shapes that I find most inspiring.
How do you manage to find a balance between all the traveling and having a family?
I limit my travels to no more than two weeks at a time and only a few times a year. When I am home I prioritize doing things with my family. My wife is the best partner and parent I could imagine. Together we make a good team. Fortunately I live in a place that has rich landscape photography opportunities close by. My kids are nearly grown now, so I imagine spending more time away from home when they are out on their own.
You are a member of Photo Cascadia and perhaps the founder of the group. How does being a part of such a group enrich and help you in your own photography?
Adrian Klein is actually the founder or Photo Cascadia. First and foremost we are a group of friends. It is always a good thing to have a group of people you enjoy and trust and who share your interests. Over the years we have formed a close bond. They are some of my favorite people in the world. Photographically, we plan trips and projects together, bounce ideas off each other, share ideas and critique each other’s work. We all support and enhance each other. It is a great example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Describe your perfect image sharing platform for landscape photography.
I don’t know that there would be such a thing as one perfect platform. Websites can provide the most complete look into a specific photographer and their work. Social media has allowed some photographers to grow large audiences and be in the public eye in a way that previously wasn’t possible and that has certain benefits. But social media platforms always seem to grow rapidly and then fade out when they reach a critical mass. Also, they tend to encourage volume over quality, exaggerated colors and subject matter, narcissism and superficial interactions. YouTube may be the exception because at least some of the content there is rewarded for providing learning or entertainment value and is useful and accessible beyond the typical 24 hour social media post lifespan. I’m a fan of photography forums like www.naturephotographers.net which are subscription based and focused on meaningful interactions with other photographers instead of followers, likes and reach. Thousands of people won’t see your images, but the ones who do will have more appreciation of your work, provide better feedback and have the potential for meaningful interactions and connections.
