![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-19-400x400.jpg\")
\t\t\tHartland Quay on the North Coast of Devon. Leica M10 and 28mm Elmarit<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Relative newcomer<\/strong> Initially, he was worried it might turn into one of his passing fads, but so far it\u2019s stuck, and doesn\u2019t seem to be going anywhere. “It\u2019s just part of life now, and I don\u2019t ever see myself not being with the camera. It wasn\u2019t until I saw this book and I started taking a serious interest in it and studying things like composition and light in different photographic techniques, but because that first inspiration was Ansel Adams, I became intrigued by what he used to do in the darkroom.\u2019<\/p>\n It was always the end-goal to create prints from his work, Matt explains. That has evolved from a simple household inkjet printer to the process he uses now, which mainly involves creating a negative from digital files. First of all he experimented with shooting film and setting up a darkroom at home, to get an idea of what he wanted to do.<\/p>\n\t\t Christmas Eve walk, 2020. Leica M10 Monochrom and 50mm Summicron<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n Trial and error wins through Having spent so long perfecting his printing process, he doesn\u2019t want to divulge the exact details, but tells me the essence of it. A digital file is inverted and flipped, then printed to create an internegative. When it\u2019s placed on the photographic paper, a positive image is created, the right way up.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not quite as simple as that though \u2013 with different contrast curves needing to be utilised to create the look which Matt is after. \u2018It\u2019s been trial and error \u2013 poking this, prodding that,\u2019 he explains. \u2018I\u2019ve now got to the stage where I can take a positive image and edited file, apply the adjustments that I found works, and then make a print from what is essentially a giant negative.\u2019<\/p>\n For Matt, it\u2019s the act of printing his work out which has had one of the biggest impacts on the quality of his work. \u2018I think that I\u2019ve learned to notice things more once it\u2019s in a printed image. Whether that\u2019s composition, or even in the way that it has been edited. All of that helps to give you a better understanding of your own photography. I think photography is quite a slow learning curve to start off with, which gradually goes up and you get to a point where you can start making decisions that Loch Elvie, Scotland. Minutes before wind and hail forced a hasty retreat<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n Head on the clouds<\/strong> Living in Weston-super-Mare, he\u2019s close to some excellent landscape locations, such as the Mendip Hills, which are just a 40-minute drive away. Further afield, favoured locations include the North Devon coast, and Scotland. He loves rugged coastlines, and changeable weather, of which both locations have an abundance \u2013 he says he\u2019s not really a sunrise\/sunset photographer, and is pleased if it\u2019s dark, cold and damp.<\/p>\n Crucially, as an amateur who is doing this only for fun and the love of photography, he\u2019s in no rush to produce anything. \u2018I\u2019ve seen people go out and spend six months photographing, then they make a book. That\u2019s not going to happen for me. I\u2019ll look back in maybe 20 years\u2019 time and pick out images that are good enough to go into a book. As I\u2019m not financially driven, it\u2019s all just about being able to go out, have a little bit of time to myself.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t have any hopes or aspirations of becoming a famous photographer or anything like that,\u2019 he continues. \u2018I do it because I love photography, and I love making prints. If when I\u2019m dead and gone, people see my photographs and think, oh he was quite a good photographer, then wonderful, but it\u2019s not what drives me.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t A tree that is the subject of a long-term project. Leica M10 Monochrom<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n Leica fan<\/strong> \u2018It\u2019s a beautiful camera,\u2019 he says. \u2018The images that come from it are just incredible, they really are.\u2019 Although he has a set of lenses for the M system \u2013 a 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 135mm \u2013 he says it\u2019s the 50mm which he uses for around 90% of his imagery. \u2018I don\u2019t tend to shoot with wideangle lenses very often, 50mm just seems to fit the way that I see things,\u2019 he explains.<\/p>\n\t\t Matt\u2019s darkroom at home in Somerset<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n The darkroom he\u2019s talking to me from is a recently completed project, a by-product of extra time \u2013 and a lack of space \u2013 during lockdown. His first darkroom was set up inside the house, but with his wife needing the space for working from home, his long-held ambition to set up a proper space in the garage was finally fully realised in September 2020.<\/p>\n\t\t Portland Bill Lighthouse, Dorset, in the early hours of People person<\/strong> Behind his desk, is a wall which is lined by black & white prints from some of the biggest names in photography \u2013 Martin Parr, Tom Stoddart, John Downing, Brian Griffin, to name but a few. Interestingly however, there are no landscape photographers on display.<\/p>\n\t\t Overlooking the Somerset Levels shortly before sunset. Leica M10 Monochrom and Leica 135mm Elmar<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n For somebody who has built up an excellent collection of landscape work, it\u2019s interesting to note that it\u2019s people shots which he admires and finds inspirational. \u2018I think it takes more skill,\u2019 he admits, \u2018plus a lot more sensitivity to be able to photograph people well.<\/p>\n While we were busy and life was normal \u2013 pre-lockdown \u2013 it was nice for me to get out and away from everybody in the landscape. But I think because of the situation, it\u2019s made me appreciate people more, and realise how much I do like being around people, watching life go on as it does.<\/p>\n I think things are therefore shifting a bit with my photography, and I\u2019m certainly becoming more interested in the street and documentary side of things.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t Marine Lake, Weston Super Mare. Leica M10 with 50mm Summicron<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n Exhibition plans<\/strong> Beautiful light near Bruton in Somerset. Leica M10 Monochrom and 50mm Summicron<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n He\u2019s given me a huge amount of guidance, we share a lot of the same views on photography and how important it can be. It\u2019s been nice to have somebody with his knowledge of photography, but also his connections with the industry \u2013 if I hadn\u2019t met Matt then I probably wouldn\u2019t be sitting here talking to you today.\u2019<\/p>\n As the end of lockdown looks tantalisingly close, Matt is thinking ahead to future travel plans, which should mean he is able to add some new work to his portfolio. Further ahead than that, he says he\u2019d also like to have an exhibition. \u2018I\u2019m not afraid to do something like that,\u2019 he explains, \u2018but I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve got a strong enough selection of images and prints to be able to do that. It might be me being overly self-critical, but I think when I know the time is right, then I\u2019ll do it.\u2019<\/p>\n Matt Walkley<\/strong> With a blend of digital and film techniques, amateur Matt Walkley is building a powerful portfolio of landscape work<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":147256,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[368,39],"tags":[],"product-category":[],"class_list":["post-147255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-landscape_photography-technique","category-photo-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nRealising photography would be an easier way to express his creativity than drawing, he started going out with a camera with the specific intention of making photographs, rather than it being just about snapshots and family pictures. Considering the skill-level which is demonstrated in his work, we were surprised to discover that this took place relatively recently, with Matt only fervently pursuing his hobby since 2014.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-14-400x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t
\n<\/strong>Although still using film occasionally now, his current set-up is very much digital focused at the point of capture, switching to analogue to create a silver gelatin print. \u2018I\u2019d like to say the process is straightforward,\u2019 he says, \u2018but it has taken me a couple of years to get it to the point where it is.\u2019<\/p>\n
\naffect your work more.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-7-320x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t
\nAs a busy father-of-two and business owner, much of Matt\u2019s photography is dictated by how much time he has to spare. \u2018Most of the time, I look out the window \u2013 if the clouds are dark and threatening and it suits my sort of style \u2013 and if I\u2019ve got time \u2013 then I\u2019ll nip out and take photographs.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-17-267x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t
\nShooting primarily with Leica M cameras \u2013 both film and digital \u2013 Matt is attracted to the simple, yet tactile, nature of using such a system. Such is his love for black & white that his main camera is the Leica M10 Monochrom, a digital rangefinder only capable of recording images without colour.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-23-605x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-5-320x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t
the morning<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
\n\u2018Having a darkroom has been a blessing during lockdown; I think the only thing I\u2019ve found is that I\u2019ve spent more time in here than going out taking photographs \u2013 even when such opportunities have arisen, I\u2019ve thought no, I\u2019ll make some prints instead.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-12-591x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-10-601x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t
\nIt\u2019s actually a well-known street photographer \u2013 and original founder of the Fotoholics group \u2013 Matt Hart, that Matt cites as arguably his biggest inspiration. \u2018I met him when I\u2019d been photographing for about three years, when he was doing a workshop in Bristol. We got on really well and have since built up a really good friendship to the point where we probably talk on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-11-501x400.jpg\")
\t\t\t
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Matt-Walkley-16-1-135x100.jpg\")
\n
\nMatt Walkley is a self-taught amateur photographer and printer, based in the south west of England. He splits his time between his business, his family and his photography. He regularly updates his website, where you can find details about his work, darkroom and more besides. Visit his website<\/a> to discover more.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nTo read more articles like this one subscribe to our print magazine today. You\u2019ll save money every week and enjoy having each issue delivered to your door! Click\u00a0here<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"