The annual Societies of Photographers Convention is almost upon us, that means it’s time to kick off our Road to the Societies’ Convention blog series. In this series, you’ll hear from Loxley Colour customers who are hosting a range of wonderful masterclasses at this year’s Convention.
Discover more about the careers of these leading photographers, a little about what you can expect to learn at their masterclasses and top tips on how to become a better photographer and businessperson.
This week, we caught up with Scottish landscape photographer Margaret Soraya about how she found her way to photography.
Where it all began
Margaret’s passion has always been art, but after starting out as a painter, she switched to photography at university. Whether creating images with a brush or camera, Margaret has always loved photographing the water:
“The thought of a loch in the early morning, low lying mist and a stillness that seeps into your mind and body; I would be there at all costs. Even if it means getting up at 3am.”
Margaret loves the isolated nature of her job, and it’s clear to see this reflected in her work. From the tranquil loch shores to the chaotic crashing waves, Margaret’s love for landscapes is clear to see:
“It’s just as much about the experience of the image making and the passion for a certain type of landscape. When I was young, creating art and making images was about absorbing myself in the landscape.”
Her job sees her travel around the world to capture stunning images of exotic locations such as Sri Lanka, Italy, Iceland and India. But her favourite place to shoot is her home country of Scotland:
“My work always comes back to the beautiful wild landscapes of the north of Scotland and the remote Scottish islands. My heart is in Scotland and most of my work is based around the incredible scenery we have here on our doorstep.”
After she’s captured the beautiful landscapes around her, she creates her products with Loxley Colour:
“I love the clean lines and contemporary feel of the Alumini and also the artistic feel to the Fine Art Float Frame.”
A life less ordinary
Margaret’s ‘A Life Less Ordinary Doing What You Love‘ masterclass is all about finding your own personal inspiration. Discovering the aspects of photography that interest you. Helping you explore what motivates you, to gain more experience and develop a successful career. She hopes her class will help delegates tap into that passion to figure out an exciting new direction for their business:
“I hope that delegates will take away inspiration to get out there doing what they love. We all have that one thing that makes us feel alive – that we would do even if it didn’t make any money.”
Modern life can be so busy. It can be tough to find the time to focus on what you simply enjoy doing. You may not even know what your true passion in life is – yet! Margaret hopes her masterclass will serve as a guide on that journey:
“I hope to show people how to drown out that noise, so they can listen to their intuition. I also hope to inspire them and show them that anything is possible if you keep working at what you love.”
When Margaret found her passion in landscape photography, she realised that working solo played a huge aspect:
“I always shoot alone because being alone allows me to be at my most creative… The reason for this is that my landscape photography is about how I feel within nature and the images are just a reflection of this… I actively seek out isolated places to work as I thrive in remote and quiet places and create my best work this way.”
Hone your skills with Margaret’s advice
Margaret’s advice for aspiring landscape photographers ties in with the lessons she’ll teach at her masterclass in January:
“If you can find the subject that you truly feel passionate about photographing, you will find along with it the drive, determination and longevity to pursue this subject until you become an expert in it.”
When she was just starting out, Margaret assumed she had to cover all styles of landscape to become a success in the industry:
“I used to think landscape photographers had to be able to climb mountains and I had to achieve those wonderful vistas from lunation tops you see in so many fabulous images to be a proper landscape photographer… I quickly realised I did not have the drive or passion to do this because mountains just aren’t something I feel drawn to.”
Grab your place and find your passion
Margaret’s ‘A Life Less Ordinary Doing What You Love‘ masterclass will take place on Wednesday 16th January at the Societies’ Convention.
Book your tickets before time runs out! Spaces are filling up quickly for this inspirational seminar, so if you want to hear from one of Scotland’s top landscape photographers, secure your place now.