One of my goals for 2020 was to sit back and take stock of where I've come as a photographer over the last decade, as well as stopping to look back at all of the locations I've been lucky enough to spend time photographing.
Visiting over 30 countries between 2010–2019 across almost all continents has given me the chance to experience everything from desolate landscapes, snow capped mountains, bustling mega-cities and more.
My original thought was to select 10 photos from each year, and present the book chronologically, but as I started to place out the images, I realised there was more of a story in the differences of each section of the world than there was in my photographic style. Interestingly, I don't feel like my style has evolved a ridiculous amount during that time period, certainly not as much in as in the previous decade, and having taken all of the images on just two different digital cameras and four different lenses, has lent a level of consistency that I wouldn't have stopped to think about otherwise.
I don't tend to upgrade my digital equipment every year, between 2009 and now I've taken almost all of my digital photographs on either an Olympus EP-1 (bought when they first released the micro-four thirds camera series) or an Olympus OMD-EM1 (bought the second this camera was released, as my EP-1 had stopped working and I was embarking on a 7 week round the world trip). The Olympus OMD-EM1 Mark-1has been by my side ever since, although this year I'll definitely upgrade to the brand new Mark-3, not because my camera has stopped working, or it couldn't keep giving me what I need, but more because I don't want to be left more than 7 years behind with technology and my Mark-1 has had to have the outer cover glued back on a couple of times (I do like to get my camera wet!).
I have published my 2010-2019 a decade of photography book with Blurb, as I have with all of my other books. It is still being printed, and I'm excited to see it in the flesh in a couple of weeks. For the moment it can be previewed here.
I've put this book together for myself, as something to look back on in future to show what an amazing decade I had seeing the world, and as a reminder of how much having the ability to photograph and share where I've been is so important to me.
If you are interested, you can preview and buy a copy of my book (it's a beast at almost 180 pages). Note, that the price doesn't include much profit to myself.
About Madeline Bowser
I've been photographing with film for what seems like forever ... well since the late 90's. I shoot both film and digital, but film is where my heart is and I get the most ongoing enjoyment from and what I enjoy sharing and teaching to others. I also travel the world hunting down old cameras and unique locations to photograph in, and exhibit and sell my travel photographs.
When out shooting film, I often get asked the questions 'can you still buy film?', 'I thought film stopped being made 10 years ago' and 'why would you want to shoot film when you can shoot digital'.
My answers are, 'yes', 'no, it didn't', and 'I also shoot digital, both have their place in my mind'.
Visit haeliophoto.com or follow me on Instagram @haeliophoto to see more of my work.
Visit photo-tours.com.au to sign up to a film photography workshop in Melbourne.
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All images remain the property of Madeline Bowser and may not be used without permission.