Bruce Percy’s Photographic Vignettes

We need to make space in our images to allow the viewer to find restful areas. I contend in this video that the 'big bold' images are often the work of the beginner.

I used to see the undo button as creative freedom, a safety net that let me experiment without fear of losing my initial idea. But I've learned that endless options actually keep us stuck—we postpone finishing indefinitely because we can always go back. Commitment isn't something to fear—it's a key skill that brings real purpose and intent to my work, and it gives me the freedom to let go and move on to what's next.

In this episode I ask whether we can find beauty in industrial places — the sort of places we usually pass over because we see them as purely functional.

Revisiting your older work can bring insights and an awareness of how far you have come in the intervening years. It can also allow you, with the skills you have accumulated over the years, to complete work that you originally struggled with.

I've found that collections of images working together as a unified set often become greater than the sum of their individual parts. Rather than viewing photographs in isolation, I've discovered that assembling my work into meaningful portfolios allows for photographic style / voice to surface, and also makes the work more cohesive

This vignette focusses on how I have reframed my landscape and portrait practices under a shared visual language.

Learning to let go of anticipation, and work with what the landscape gives you.

Bruce Percy is a full time professional British landscape photographer who spends a large part of the year photographing around the world. He is a keen educator and has published six monographs of his work to date.

I believe in the importance of finding inspiration in a single image to overcome creative inertia. As I reflect on the process, I see how portfolios develop personality as more images are added and how strong ideas tend to lead to a quick emergence of themes in my work.

In this podcast, I share my perspective on the word ‘scar’ and its connotations when describing landscapes. Initially, I viewed scars as negative, implying permanent damage.

However, over time, my perception of the word ‘scar’ has shifted, and I now appreciate the aesthetic beauty and compositional value of scars in landscapes. Particularly in Iceland.

In this podcast I draw parallels between the Icelandic landscape and my Scottish homeland, finding familiarity and a sense of connection in the traces of geological formations that both exhibit. I also explore the idea that scars on the landscape hold significance and can evoke a deeper understanding of the landscape’s history and formation.

All images © Bruce Percy. Images shot on location in Fjallabak nature reserve, and the central highlands of Iceland.

Bruce uses Hasselblad V series film cameras with Fuji Velvia 50 film exclusively.

Music © Bruce Percy 2024

Bruce Percy's Website : http://www.brucepercy.com

The episode discusses the importance of simplifying compositions in landscape photography. I aim to emphasise the need to remove or quieten secondary aspects of a scene to effectively convey the intended message.