Finding My Style by Gloria Mwivanda.
Whenever people ask me what my style of Photography is,
I like to say ‘It's mostly experimental and conceptual’. In truth, the words experimental and conceptual mean little to me but seem to be the closest in words I could describe anything I create. I would be more comfortable using the word ‘accidental and coincidental’ but I fear describing anything with these words sounds absurd and amateurish. However now when I look at my work, I think all my best works were accidental and coincidental, it's like having a butterfly land on your hand, you will just be sitting still outside on the grass on a sunny day, in a brief second a butterfly will brush your skin, and it's a lovely moment.
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The body of work I have created over time and continue to create, my past self did not have any idea that this is what it would look like, despite all the planning and Pinterest boarding. I have a feeling that my future self will say the same thing about works I have yet to create because .
I set out to find my style, instead, my style found me
I cannot claim it was entirely coincidental and accidental, for the past year I have gone out and out of my way to seek stories, wherever they may be found. I have travelled, seen, listened, and throughout the journeys, I barely felt like I was finding anything. I have photographed grass and stray cats on the streets on days when I had no inspiration. I have photographed myself when I felt least worthy of being seen. In the moment it did not feel like magic or like anything at all. But now looking back I see a pattern and a progression.
In my work on various projects, I have written down ideas and sketched mood boards, but the results are mostly things that happened or came to be in the creation moment. My style found me walking with my camera and tripod on a sugarcane farm, hiking up a hill, and walking on a railroad.
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I bring my camera along because I want the inspiration to find me always ready to be used at the eye that sees what is often overlooked. As I seek my style I feel myself growing less and less afraid. Afraid of the questions, What is your style, why do you do photography? Who are you?
I guess it's true what they say, ‘What you seek, is seeking you but you have to seek it too, consciously and constantly.
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