Paul Wakefield

Resolved, yet unresolved. Inherent mystery and contradiction

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By Joe Cornish | December 12, 2020

Joe Cornish

Professional landscape photographer.

joecornishphotographer.com

For more than thirty years I have found inspiration in Paul Wakefield’s photography. Although our work has been published together in National Trust books, and we have met many times I remain in awe of Paul’s uniquely-seen images. Over the course of a long career, his style may have evolved somewhat, but even his earliest pictures still seem fresh and utterly authentic.

On Landscape has previously published an in-depth interview with Paul

…and David and I have also written our own responses to the publication of his wonderful 2014 book, entitled (surprisingly unambiguously) The Landscape.

Paul has no need to seek out recognition or approval, for his success in the commercial world has fulfilled any such need long since. His personal work has genuinely been done for his own gratification and pleasure.

Paul has no need to seek out recognition or approval, for his success in the commercial world has fulfilled any such need long since. His personal work has genuinely been done for his own gratification and pleasure. And yet, intriguingly, he has as strong a sense of sharing his photography as any of us.

And yet, intriguingly, he has as strong a sense of sharing his photography as any of us. Indeed, one can almost say that the role played by the viewer is fundamental to him. He sees the back-turned figure in Caspar David Friedrich’s painting, Wanderer above a Sea of Fog, as a symbol of the viewer’s gaze.

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