Focus on Friday – James Bowden | The Documentary Photographer

Focus on Friday – James Bowden

For a while, James Bowden’s photography was an enigma too me. It was just too hard to imagine that a single person could be responsible for photography that spans such a range of topics and styles. To me, his website looked like meeting place for an artist’s collective rather than the portfolio of a single creative mind.

On closer inspection, there is an overarching style. It reminds me of Eileen Garcia’s work, which I think has such a freedom to it. The same goes for James’s work. He photographs without fetters.

And that fits well with his description of himself: “James bowden is a photographer, surfer and aspiring vagabond. An Englishman born and bred with a thirst for travel and adventure. With a bag of photographic classics and the latest digi equipment, he’s out there looking for stories to tell the grandkids and photos to show them as well.”

He meanders and wanders and sees and captures and lives and engages and photographs. The resulting work, in my eyes anyway, is terrific.

What especially appeals to me is that he doesn’t confine himself. He shoots everything with equal liberty and passion – and shows it on his blog or website. He doesn’t distinguish between commercial work and private work. It’s all his photography.

His photography is a photographic experience and a life experience rolled into one.

I have to wonder whether that isn’t the future of our business.

I’ve selected a couple of my favourites from his work, but there is plenty of wonderful stuff to see on his website.