George Munday started out with photography over 30years ago.  During this journey he gathered a lot of experience. Lucky for all of us he agreed on sharing his story and his insights, so make sure to read the Interview below, it’s a must-read. It’s been very nice talking and listening to him.  Kind of inspirational.. ;)

So, without wasting more of anybody’s time, enjoy his images, read the interview and get inspired!

Visit him at: http://www.coppercoastworkshops.com/minimalistics/

Jendrik Wuttke:  Please tell us about how and when you got into photography.

George Munday: Having become interested in cine through home produced films using small 8mm cameras, I went to photographic college in Birmingham in 1972 to study cinematography and photography, but found that I had a preference for still-photography and gave up the cine related aspect of the course.
On leaving there in 1975, I joined a local newspaper near Birmingham, eventually  as chief photographer. The work there gave me good experience in working with people, shooting to deadlines and working quickly and by instinct.

JW: So you started photography over 30years ago, what was the equipment like back then?

GM: At the newspaper I used a Nikon (can’t remember which model) and shot virtually everything with a 28mm lens. .No in-camera metering and rarely time to use a light meter. Most work was shot on Kodak Tri-X, and so exposures came down to experience and familiarity with my equipment . Occasionally used a great brute of a flash – (Braun I think) when we had to cover indoor assignments.

JW: Do you still use Nikon? :)

GM: No that was the only time. Since 2007 I’ve used a Canon 5D (mark 1) and I hope to upgrade to the mark 2 soon.

JW: Do you miss the old film days or even go back to shooting film from time to time?

GM: I don’t shoot film. Ever.
And really don’t miss it all. The advantages of digital and the new lease of (photographic) life it’s given me outweigh any disadvantages.

JW:  Did your style of photography / the way you photograph change by going from film to digital?

GM: Absolutely. It gives such freedom to experiment. Previously I used to use a Mamiya RZ67 which is a heavy piece of kit nor is it the fastest piece of equipment to use.
    The facilities that digital offers have certainly helped my photography. Previously the sheer cost of shooting lots of film would have been an inhibiting factor. And the ability to be able to make certain that exposures are spot on by using the histogram is a tremendous help.
I’m quite certain that my style has changed. If I had to say how I would probably put it down to an increasing graphic awareness of the elements that make up the composition of my images. I’m probably to close to it though to be able to explain with any real authority.   

JW: Another advantage of digital would be the possibilities offered by post processing, what’s your take on that?

GM: You are absolutely right. I reckon that post processing can account for 33% of the success of an image. The simple expedient of cropping; then enhancing or diminishing the colors within the image; changing to monochrome, and the ability to be able to burn and dodge (like in the old darkroom days). All these techniques (and more) can be used to raise images to a higher level of technical and aesthetic quality.

JW:  Do you process each image before publishing it?

GM: I always shoot RAW, so it’s essential that images are processed.

JW: Is there a no-go in post processing in your opinion?

GM: Only in the area of adding elements from one image to another completely different one.

JW:  Let’s talk about other stations of your photographic journey, what else, other than being the chief photographer, have you done and accomplished?

GM: I’ll try and make this brief…

I was contacted by a guy I was at photographic college with to join him in a photographic studio in Dublin. I thought it would be an interesting new challenge in a different photographic genre and took him up on the offer. So left the UK in 1979.
Despite the country being in a recession, the business took off quickly and through our work with design houses and ad agencies we started working with blue-chip clients like Aer Lingus, major food companies and banks.

At the same time we started a small picture agency that we called Slidefile. I always figured that if a photographer works 5 days per week then he/she could shoot for about 3 days, and then the rest of the time would be for printing, tranny processing, invoicing and other admin duties.
This would in effect limit the potential earnings. On the other hand a picture agency could sell one picture per day – or one hundred. Earning were theoretically limitless. So in 1990 we opted to run the stock agency full time.
Although I was still shooting frequently – for stock – and throughout remained in the post of picture editor. It was a great challenge and in those pre-Getty days enjoyable, but it became a more global business with the introduction of the internet
I’m delighted being a photographer again – albeit with less money!

JW: What  happened to Slidefile?

GM: Between Getty and Corbis, they took over most of the  picture agencies and created two HUGE businesses with enormous amounts of image content (and all online), we didn’t really have the resources to compete, so decided to opt out of the business.

JW: I read about you selling your entire portfolio in 2007, was this part of the process of opting out of the business?

GM: Yeah, when we closed slidefile I tried to run a small business called the Irish Image Collection, but the days of the one-man stock agency have passed. Apart from which I hate admin work and moving bits of paper around a desk… 

JW: Who doesn’t.. do you regret selling your images?

GM: Not in the slightest, all the old baggage has gone and I could start again with lots of experience and fresh eyes… The downside was that I’ve wanted to start a photo-blog for ages, but with my archive gone I had no stock. So it’s taken me just over two years to build up the numbers to where I felt comfortable enough to be able to add new, different and good images every day. And the reason for Minimalistics? It’s all on the why page.

JW: You even started teaching at www.CopperCoastworkshops.com, how did that happen?

GM: We relocated from near  Dublin to this beautiful part of Ireland. The house happened to have four bedrooms – all ensuite – and we thought it would be nice to have a B&B (which my wife looks after).
Then I was looking at a forum on the web and saw a few people writing about problems that they were having with the "new" digital photography. That gave me the idea; I put together a website and it took off from there.

JW: Could you briefly mention some of the topics covered in your workshops?

GM: During my weekend workshops I’ve found that (amateur) photographers have a knowledge of aperture and shutter speeds etc, but often they don’t completely understand how they inter-relate, or when to choose which. So I cover that – and things like ISO, RAW capture etc. in a two hour talk before doing anything else.
Following that we would relocate to one of the more interesting nearby locations to start shooting. I generally leave them to work on their own so that I can see any errors that they make.
Following on from that we’ll bring their images back to what I like to call the digital darkroom.  That gives me an opportunity to go through their work and help them to address any problems in their shooting technique. And try to guide them to create better compositions. I tell them that shooting a masterpiece here is not the prime aim, my main objective is to teach them HOW to shoot a masterpiece. 

    Following on from the crits and discussion on techniques, I take the participants through Photoshop, showing them the basic techniques of how to enhance their images. Then they work on their own images with me available to advise. 
    I also run longer workshops, but they tend to be aimed at more advanced photographers who, for the most part, already know what they are doing and just want to be immersed in a photographic environment. I have a shooting schedule during which I take the photographers to very photogenic locations at the right time of day.  Although I’m probably more a facilitator in that role, I still offer advice on shooting techniques if I see something that can be improved and again in post processing. The longer workshops were held in the Languedoc in France during 2007 and 2008.

JW: That sounds like you enjoy teaching quite a lot, what’s your most memorable experience in teaching?

GM: It’s not so much specific instances that I think about. It’s very encouraging though when people arrive  with a compact and after leaving the workshop – go and buy themselves an SLR and send me images that they would not have been able to shoot before the workshop.
    With the advanced people it’s being with like-minded people in stunning locations. The conversations that we’ve had over a bottle or three of wine in France have been wonderful.

JW: To finish things up I’d just like to ask you the so-called "famous last questions" I intend to ask every photographer:

If neither time nor money would be an issue, what / who would you photograph where and how, if you haven’t already?

GM: I don’t think there are any particular people/personalities that I  would like to photograph.
    I love shooting landscapes, but I have been photographing empty places for a large part of my photographic life and I would like to spend more time photographing places with people.
    The locations could be villages or individual buildings, but it’s important that people are an integral part of their character. My preference is for places that are fairly isolated and perhaps with a spiritual dimension (I should emphasise that I am not a religious person), and in a location that is dramatic. 
    A good example of this would be the Greek Orthodox Monastary on the top of the cliff in Meteora which would bring together the elements mentioned earlier.

What advice would you give someone desperate for inspiration?

GM: I’ve never been in that position. But if I were I would suggest buying or borrowing books that feature the work of other photographers. Make sure that you’re on your own, turn the TV off, put some evocative music on and sit down and look at each picture slowly and jot down any thoughts that appear. And visit art galleries. 
If inpiration fails to come after that, then it might be time to consider another interest…!

Who would you want to see featured in this magazine?

GM: Many of the photographers that inspired me are no longer with us, Brassai for street photography, Arnold Newman for portraiture, Eugene Smith for documentary work – and they’re all dead. Of the living photographers, landscapist Michael Kenna would probably be the one to go for. I really like (most of) his work.

JW: Thank you George, it’s been a pleasure. Best wishes to you and your loved ones!