Open Spaces – Interview with UAE photographer Anthony Lamb

Anthony Lamb has carved out a niche by capturing the awe-inspiring simplicity of nature’s open spaces, including the Arabian desert

Why did you choose photography as your medium? From a very early age, my family opened my eyes to the world of art as we visited galleries, exhibitions and museums. My father did a lot of painting in his spare time while my mother was interested in art and design with my grandfather being an artist all his life. When I was young, I was lucky enough to travel to some of the stunning locations such as the European Alps, North Africa, and Scottish Highlands. These trips fuelled my appreciation for nature and large open spaces, which undoubtedly influenced me to pick up a paintbrush at a very early age. These experiences and influences drove me to eventually study Art and Design at college and complete a degree in Furniture and Product Design at university. After completing my degree, in 2002, I decided to travel the world. While on my travels, I discovered a landscape photographer called Peter Lik. He captures vast panoramic photographic landscapes, and he opened my eyes to what was possible with a camera. The introduction of the digital age would provide me with control over the whole photographic process, allowing me to use the Photoshop skills that I learned at university. Choosing photography was a bi-product of all these influences as it combined my love of the outdoors with the opportunity to document my outdoor experiences visually and use my creativity in the digital darkroom. I took the plunge and purchased my first digital SLR camera in 2003 and have never looked back since.

What do you find particularly inspiring about landscapes to photograph? If you examine my most recent work in the last 5-6 years, I’ve deliberately concentrated on two elements which are sand and water, or more precisely, deserts and oceans. These environments align with my influences because of their simplistic form and presence in nature. They offer a clean canvas, allowing me to construct and compose photographs that reflect my minimalist aesthetic. But they also allow me to mirror the calming influence that nature has on me. Nature is a personal sanctuary, a place I can remove myself from the chaos of life. It’s important that my photographs share this message and influence others to appreciate the importance of protecting my documented locations or the planet beyond.

You’ve recently documented your landscape photography in the book ‘Sand’, what inspired this? Since the beginning of my journey as a photographer, I have always had dreams of publishing a book. But my early work seemed too disjointed and lacked collaborative flow, and I didn’t feel comfortable with the quality of the images. When I first started photographing the Arabian Desert, I never intended to document the photographs in a book format. But over the years, the portfolio grew, and the work

received honourable recognition through international photography competitions. In 2017, I began to piece together a selection of my works, initially a selection of urban, desert and ocean photographs of the United Arab Emirates. It just wasn’t working as the narrative behind the content just wasn’t strong enough. Fast forward three years and lockdown in Dubai was in full swing. A combination of free time, a more extensive tailored portfolio and a clearer perspective of how to document the work, eventually became apparent in my work.

Can you expand on your method of working and when do you prefer to shoot? The first decision as a landscape photographer would usually be the choice of subject or location. Over the years, I’ve changed my approach; early on in my photographic journey, I would head out with my camera in only favourable weather. Now, I tend to select a suitable region, research the location using Google Maps and pin specific areas of interest that might provide appropriate subject matter. I will also look at tide times, sunrise/sunset times and weather conditions based on the time of my visit. This process allows me to build up an approximate schedule, reducing the risk of wasting time on location. Many of my compositions can also be ad-hoc; once I arrive in a selected location, the environment may offer something new and unexpected. When capturing the desert, conditions had to be very specific to ensure collaboration with my final edit. I would photograph the desert in cloudy flat light, as these conditions filter harsh sunlight, providing a soft-box effect likened to a studio aesthetic. But whether in Europe, the Middle East, or further afield, I intentionally head out in overcast or challenging weather conditions. Since childhood, I’ve always had the desire to immerse myself in the elements no matter what Mother Nature throws at me. So, intentionally putting myself into a multitude of atmospheric conditions seemed like one way of producing photography that may provide something honest.

What have been some of the biggest milestones in your career to date and which have been the largest challenges? One of my most significant milestones is turning pro, leaping out of the corporate world, and entirely relying on my photographic profession. I dreamt of being a professional photographer but knowing when to make a move is hard to predict because you become so dependent on the preverbal corporate monthly income. Winning gold and silver awards in prestigious competitions such PX3, TIFA, ND Awards and Fine Art Photography provided me with confidence in the work I was producing. This confidence was essential to me, as it gave me the nudge, I needed to share my work with galleries, art consultants and publishers. My most significant challenge is a trickier question. My first thought was the terrible weather conditions I’ve had to endure on many occasions in the field. I’ve placed myself into extreme desert storms on the Arabian Peninsula, executed long exposures in horizontal rain in the Highlands of Scotland and caught the sunrise on the dizzy heights of Mont Blanc. But I enjoy putting myself into these conditions due to its immersive quality; so, don’t see them as challenging. So, I would say my most prominent challenge is finding the moment. Finding the photographic moments that capture people’s attention is all about timing, being very patient and putting yourself out there as much as possible.

How has digital photography changed the way you work? The digital age gave me control over the whole process and allowed me to use the Photoshop skills I learnt at university. But before the digital industry switch, I had already experienced the analogue world. I learnt the darkroom development process at school and Art College. But setting up a darkroom in your house came with its difficulties, as well as cost. The digital age gave photographers the chance to upload software onto their computers, making it much more accessible. However, film photography is something I would like to return to when the time is right.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self starting out? Practice, practice, practice. Never give up; always push yourself to be better and capture honest imagery that reflects your influences and experiences. Be as original as you can without forgetting to be self-critical. Enjoy the journey, photograph for fun and keep exploring.

Do you have a favourite image you’ve personally taken? The one image that resonates with me is a photograph entitled ‘Captivation’. I was revisiting a small, secluded desert in an area called Seih Al-Dahal in the Emirate of Dubai and there was a small intimate collection of dunes that had positioned itself on the perimeter of the cycle track. There was a storm developing on the horizon which offered the perfect contrasting backdrop for the soft-lit sand. On rare occasions, I will spot an opportunity immediately, visualising exactly how to compose and frame the subject. Walking over a dune crest, the scene revealed itself through a perfectly sculpted dune field and a balanced collaboration of congruous landforms. In the centre of the composition, as if placed there by a tentative paintbrush, a tiny desert shrub exemplifying the sense of scale and subject interest. In a split second, I knew precisely how to capture this minimalist spectacle. By using a long lens to compress the image, I used the dune layers to lead the eye through the scene. I centralised the shrub and the dash of orange between the dunes, which is the different coloured sand blown in from the desert plains. The blanket of cloud above thinned for an instant, creating the luminosity required to increase tonality as I clicked the shutter.

If you were not a photographer, what other medium would you use to explore your creativity? Initially, I was going to say I would return to design because of my educational background. But the more I think about it; design never gave me the satisfaction that other art forms have. I felt it was more of a hindrance than a creative output; it didn’t give me the calming influence that I crave, while painting always did. I must have been six or seven when I first started painting small watercolours, I’d spend hours perfecting a Turner copy in the spare bedroom of my parent’s house. I’m not sure this was normal, but it felt gratifying, calming and gave me a sense of being, even at such an early age. What is the next project you will be undertaking? I’ve been working on a coastal project called ‘Coastal Connections’ since 2018, but due to the current circumstances, it’s taking longer than expected to complete. Man’s relationship with water has been written into the history books since records began and the reliance on this element is evident in the past and present. I’ve always been drawn to water and have explored the technique of long exposure for many years, using man-made structures as singular and paired subjects. The collection of images explores the relationship between man and the water’s edge, which is part of a much bigger project that concentrates on climate change and what we stand to lose if sea levels continue to rise.

“Finding the photographic moments that capture people’s attention is all about timing, being very patient and putting yourself out there as much as possible.”