Some days I realise it’s been weeks, sometimes even months, since I last picked up my camera. It comes in waves. I’ll spend a period shooting regularly, editing photos, thinking about new places to visit, and then gradually drift away from it all. Before I know it, the camera is sitting untouched and the folder of unedited images on my hard drive feels more like an obligation than something exciting.
When that happens, YouTube is usually the thing that pulls me back. I’ll put a video on while having lunch or during a quiet evening, and twenty minutes later something has shifted. Watching another photographer chase light across a landscape, work through a composition, or simply enjoy being outdoors reminds me why I started taking photographs in the first place. It’s rarely about learning something specific — more often, it’s about catching a little of someone else’s enthusiasm.
Peter McKinnon is one of those people. His videos are energetic, creative and full of momentum. Even when he’s covering something simple, there’s a sense of excitement around the process of making images. I usually finish one of his videos wanting to go and experiment with something myself.
Mark Denney has a very different style. His videos feel slower, more thoughtful and more grounded in the realities of being a photographer. I appreciate the way he talks about the experience of photography as much as the photographs themselves. There’s a reassuring honesty to it.
Then there’s Henry Turner. Watching Henry often feels like being out with a friend who’s genuinely excited to be there. Whether he’s photographing dramatic weather, wandering across the hills, or eating a pot noodle in the back of his van, there’s an enthusiasm that makes you want to head outside and pay closer attention to the world around you.
The three of them approach photography differently, but they all leave me with the same reminder: photography doesn’t have to be productive. I don’t need a grand plan, a new location, or a perfect forecast — sometimes I just need to go for a walk with a camera and see what catches my eye. More often than not, I come back with shots I’m excited about, even if they’re not perfect, and that’s enough to keep the momentum going.
Closing YouTube, picking up my camera, and heading out the door has become a little ritual. It reminds me that photography is mostly about showing up, noticing the world, and enjoying the process.