Means of Expression

Light Expression is the online photography portfolio of Simon Miles. The title of the website reflects my belief that landscape photography is as much an exploration of self as it is an exploration of place. Photography, of course, means writing with light. And if photography is my chosen means of artistic self expression, then Light Expression seems as good a title as any.

I am, by nature, inclined towards introspection. Perhaps for this reason I particularly enjoy exploring the intimate landscape and its seemingly minor details – the curve of a tree, the ebb and flow of water over rocks, the movement of wind in the grasses. These intimations of the wider landscape conjure a stream of visual associations and emotions. Whilst I do occasionally photograph wide-angle views, for me photography is very much a process of extraction and distillation. This tends to lead me away from a literal rendering of a scene towards abstraction. I favour an intuitive working method and rarely execute pre-planned photographs. There is a delight in the spontaneous discovery of an image. Moreover, experience has taught me that there is always something to see and, more often than not, a photograph to be made.

For many years I worked with medium and large format film cameras. I began working with digital cameras in 2009 and find that digital capture, with its efficient and convenient workflow, fits perfectly into my busy lifestyle. My main camera is currently a Canon 5D2 with Zeiss 21mm and 35mm Distagons and Canon 90mm TS-E. Essential accessories include a solid tripod and a small selection of filters, mainly for contrast control. I process and output all my images digitally, using Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop CS and an Epson 3800 pigment ink printer.

Simon Miles.

A Note about Copyright

All the photographs on this site are protected by copyright and may not be used or reproduced without permission. The images shown are the result of many hours of hard work over many years – literally a lifetime’s endeavour. Please respect the photographer’s artistic rights on this and any other photographic website you visit. Thank you.