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Nicki Gwynn-Jones
I moved to Orkney eight years ago hoping to quieten my mind. I was keen to produce a body of work which I felt would speak to my experience of living on an island rich in wildlife, constantly battered by weather fronts, and gifted with spectacular light. I spend a lot of time swimming in the sea.
Michéla Griffith
In 2012 I paused by my local river and everything changed. I’ve moved away from what many expect photographs to be: my images deconstruct the literal and reimagine the subjective, reflecting the curiosity that water has inspired in my practice. Water has been my conduit: it has sharpened my vision, given me permission to experiment and continues to introduce me to new ways of seeing.
In this issue, we catch up with Nicki Gwynn-Jones to discuss how her photography has evolved. It's been seven years since our Featured Photographer interview with her, and in that time her connection with the rugged landscape, dramatic light and wild seas of Orkney has deepened. From her encounters with balletic Arctic terns, to the light of the simmer dim and the storms of winter, Nicki shares the profound joy and respect she has developed for her home. Her insights offer inspiration and encouragement for those wanting to grow a personal photographic style rooted in place and passion.
Our Featured Photographer interview with you was seven years ago, just one year after you had moved to Orkney. What has given you most enjoyment with your photography since then? What particular experiences or highlights come to mind?
Oh my goodness, so many highlights!
As you may remember from our previous chat, I am very drawn to the sea, so in addition to my wave photography I love to spend time with our seabirds. I have got to know a visiting colony of Arctic terns over the years, and they bring me a great deal of joy - and worry! By the time our long Orcadian winters finally morph into spring, I am so looking forward to their return.
I also enjoy doing creative flower photography - oxeye daisies are a favourite - but this spring I found wood anemones here for the first time. Visiting our small areas of woodland after a long winter I feel reborn, the spring light filtering through the fresh new greenery, and the first willow warblers announcing their presence after their long flight from Africa.
The arrival of orca whales always has me very excited. A particular highlight a couple of years ago was watching them as they passed by just 50 yards from where I was standing. I was almost unable to breathe from the excitement of being so close to these magnificent creatures. The experience of the first lockdown was also extraordinary, but more of that later.
Have your tastes changed at all, either in terms of your own photography or what you enjoy looking at and find inspiration in?
I have perhaps been known in the past for my high key photography, but I now embrace the dark side! The light here can be so extraordinary, and I am loving the low key/high contrast look that can produce very dramatic and evocative interpretations.
I am on a quest to capture the spirit of what it means to be an Arctic tern, so have been experimenting with images that are of a more abstract nature and with black and white conversions, which make a feature of the beautiful shapes that their elegant wings create as they are buffeted by the wind. The quest continues.