‘We all have the ability to love, to care, to be kind’
What I’ve learned from seeing the world through a camera lens
“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” — Aldous Huxley (1884-1963), British author
When I was in Russia in 2018, I was travelling and photographing with two accomplished photography friends, one a Russian and the other Taiwanese. My Russian friend asked me why I photograph, and without hesitation I answered, “because I love to.” This turned out to be the consensus for all three of us and no doubt the reason why we have enjoyed travelling together on various photographic trips.
To discover the rhythm of life in a new place, one must experience it. I do this by exploring all the back streets, camera in hand, observing and recording everyday life, trying to capture the personalities of the inhabitants.
At the age of 15, I received a Brownie instamatic camera as a birthday gift from my father and I have been taking photographs ever since. I have always pursued a variety of artistic expressions and attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design from 1978 until 1983, majoring in ceramic hand-built sculpture.
For over 25 years I worked mainly in black and white film photography and had a darkroom to develop my own prints. My main subjects were my children, and I photographed them throughout their childhood as they went about their daily activities. Now that that I’m an emptynester, I have time to pursue my love of travel and photography. When photographic film, chemicals and paper became impossible to obtain, I gave in to the digital medium and started to photograph mainly in colour.
I am self-taught and my personal style has evolved by just “shooting.” I’ve attended workshops with some of the best photographers in the world. My first was with Michael Wood, who taught Miksang Photography. Miksang is a Tibetan word meaning “good eye.” It is a contemplative form of photography that focuses on learning how to look and see.
A workshop with New York City street photographer Jay Maisel greatly influenced my use of colour, light and gesture. A workshop with Catherine Karnow taught me to slow down and really enjoy everything a new place has to offer, not just the photographic opportunities. Workshops with Steve Mccurry really opened-up a whole new world of photography. It was through my travels with Steve that I met some incredible individuals who have become life-long friends and the best travelling companions.
When I attended my first photographic expedition with Steve Mccurry to Burma (Myanmar) in 2012, my artistic journey morphed into a passion combining street portrait photography with visits to countries where I feel I have travelled back in time. My fascination with cultures that are different than my own has influenced my desire to travel to new and unfamiliar places.
MAKING MAGIC
My portraits tend to be environmental; they are taken in the subject’s natural setting, in their home or workplace, and illustrate the subject’s life and surroundings. I never seek to pursue a particular narrative, but instead I photograph what “stops” me. I am attracted to colour, texture and light, and these elements provide a rich backdrop for my subjects.
Sometimes my photographs are shot candidly to capture a decisive moment and at other times my subjects are very aware of my presence. Getting close and interacting with people, often by communicating with hand gestures, fosters a shared trust that will sometimes result in something magical happening. A photograph has the ability to record an emotion in a fraction of a second. I want my photographs to say something about life and the human condition and to pull the viewer in by telling a story through that imagery.
In 2020, I was approached by SSP Publications, a local publishing company in Halifax, to travel around my home province to take 100 portraits plus a photo putting each of them in context. With international travel at a standstill due to COVID-19, this project could not have come at a more opportune time. I usually find it difficult to photograph at home, I suspect because everything is familiar. I had to think creatively about how I could stay true to my style of travel photography while taking the portraits for the book.
While successive pandemic lockdowns and ongoing restrictions proved challenging, this was a most rewarding experience. The result is “‘We Are Nova Scotia,’ 100 portraits by Anne Launcelott,” published in May of this year, with a forward by Premier Tim Houston.
LESSONS LEARNED
My travels to countries with diverse cultures has taught me that as humans we share a universal bond called humanity. We all have the ability to love, to care, to be kind, to be compassionate, show empathy, be good-hearted and generous.
Strangers would invite me into their homes so that I could photograph them and would then offer to share their scant meal with me. Mothers nurtured their children with love, and all were concerned about food and health care. This was expressed so succinctly by a mother from the Kara Tribe in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia, where food is scarce and access to a doctor is impossible.
One of the most common bonds among people is the mobile phone. Everyone has a cellphone, and even in remote communities in Burma, people would be glued to their phone, either playing games or making phone calls. The exception was in the Omo Valley, where the people live off the land and have no running water or electricity, and certainly no internet service.
Children are children and play the same games everywhere in such a carefree manner. No matter which country I was travelling in, people were friendly and welcoming, and despite not speaking the same language, I have experienced a special bond with some of the women who shared something of themselves with me. A Vietnamese mother of a child that was born with deformities from Agent Orange showed me her wedding photos and was able to convey her sorrow about her child. She was worried about his education because the family did not have enough money to continue sending him to school.
The most profound lesson I have learned from seeing the world is that we really are not so different after all.
Anne Launcelott is a travel and street portrait photographer based in Halifax. She has exhibited in group shows across Canada, the United States and Europe and has had many successful solo shows in Halifax. Her work is in the Nova Scotia Art Bank; the Canadian Foundation for Chinese Heritage Preservation, Toronto; and the Photography Museum of Lishu, China. “‘We Are Nova Scotia,’ 100 portraits by Anne Launcelott,” is available at Chapters and Indigo bookstores across Nova Scotia, and online at amazon.ca, chapters.ca and sspub.ca. Signed copies are available at Bookmark, Spring Garden Road and at In A Box Gifts, Dresden Row, Halifax. Website: www.annelauncelott. com Facebook: Anne Launcelott Instagram: anne.launcelott