Pathways to open spaces, journeys intertwined

In our collaborative work, ‘Pathways to open spaces, journeys intertwined,’ we explored the concept of a journey with an undefined destination, captured through the lens of black and white photography.

The choice of landscapes for all three images underlines the theme of open spaces—each telling a unique story but converging on a collective perspective of a journey towards the unknown.

Working together, we consciously chose not to include humans in our frames. By removing the human element, we stripped away social distortions that might crowd the storytelling. It allowed the open space to speak for itself.

The mood of all three images is notably gloomy. The overcast sky, the portentous clouds, and the long stretches of pathways devoid of people contribute to an atmosphere of solemnity.

The Ted Grant quote inspired the choice of black and white:

"When you photograph a man in colour, you photograph his clothes.

When you photograph a man in B&W, you photograph his soul."

Ted Grant, 1999.

Similarly, stripping the landscapes of their colour allowed us to photograph their 'soul.' The absence of colour removes distraction and pulls the viewer towards the essence of the image, focusing attention on the work of light and shadow.

Our collaboration pulled on our skills in telling a story through photography. We extensively discussed the selection of landscapes, the technicalities of capturing them in the desired mood, and themes.

In summary, our piece seeks to engage the viewer in a journey—a coastal meandering pathway at Dungeness, a glass-flanked bridge in Oman, a disused train track along a pier in the north of England—each leading to an undefined future.

Through our collaboration, we attempted to invite viewers to contemplate their journeys wherever they may lead.