Michael Kenna

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Michael Kenna is an amazing landscape photographer with a very moody and dreamy state to his work. I think the fact that he does long exposure is a big factor in being able to capture so many details. In an interview when asked why he chooses to do long exposures Kenna responds, " I was getting predictable" when referring to the images he was creating before.

    Kenna likes the process of black and white photography (and I can say I do as well). In this age is easy to just snap a picture and call it a day. We lack the experience of composing a good picture and enjoying the process of capturing something in time. Thats something that B&W photography offers him, that " slower path" to create and " go on diversions, finding things, making accidents". This passion for the median is very telling in Kennas character and depicts him as someone who is dedicated to creating a good image. 

     I think Kenna is more of a teller of his enjoyment for the process of film photography and takes it sort of waiting for a gem to form. In other interviews he comments more on why he prefers the " unpredictability" that comes from waiting to see what your negative looks like and what you captured. As a beginner to film photography this is a underrated and at times tedious process but it is worth it at the end of the day when you have a print of your creation.

Interview: Landscape legend Michael Kenna | Popular Photography (popphoto.com) 

PopPhotointerview2023.pdf (michaelkenna.com)

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