The Sea Calls
Words: Tous Mag | Image Credits: © Christopher Skingley |
The great outdoors. Some love it, some avoid it at all costs. Constantly battling between the modern era hurtling directly towards life existing digitally, and those yearning for days spent outside carefree and lungs filled, life’s destiny relies on us and our conscious actions or passive submissions.
“People often think that by filling your house with all these modern technologies and possessions, you are fulfilling your desire to feel happy and successful” Christopher Skingley
Avid explorer and wanderer Christopher Skingley, a recent recipient of the Sony World Photo Grant, discusses with us the importance of slowing down and breathing in that fine, fresh air. Capturing honest and genuine moments in time, or just appreciating the fleeting instance as a memory he’s visually captured with his eyes, Skingley seeks a calm respite from life’s noise through his magnetic relationship with the sea or a solo walk in a land that’s unfamiliar.
Documenting as he meanders through our most precious gift, the earth, this forward-thinking portrait & documentary photographer has completed solo projects such as 'The Fishermans Way’ walk - in which he walked the rugged coastal trail in the south of Portugal on a quest to detach from society and awaken his organic understanding of what’s important to him - along with a project where he visited ‘The Brithdir Mawr Community’ in Wales to explore the overwhelming feeling of being weighed down and how one might relinquish that.
After talking to Chip, as he’s known by, there’s nothing stopping us from taking a float in the sea during sunrise, a walk for pleasure rather than to get from A to B, or just allowing a moment of serenity as and when it presents itself. Read the full interview, below!
Tous Mag: What sparked your interest in Photography?
Christopher Skingley: I had a pretty active outdoor childhood and I think a lot of my interest for photography stemmed from what I was surrounded by. Whether we were swimming, skating or playing music, I was the only one with a camera, but it was never a conscious decision to bring it. My parents were avid travellers and I was lucky I got to experience a lot of new places and meet a variety of different people whilst growing up. I feel that my photography is still sparked by this craving to capture further experiences.
Tous Mag: Do you take your camera with you everywhere in case there's a moment you find you want to photograph?
Christopher Skingley: I always throw a camera in my bag at the beginning of the day. I normally forget its in there and it feels such a blessing when I remember I have it when I’ve found an attachment to a place or moment.
Tous Mag: Was there a time you distinctly remember, to this day, where you wish you'd had your camera to capture it?
Christopher Skingley: There have been many occasions when I’ve been floating in the sea during sunrise, in the town where I grew up, and have wanted to capture the ever-changing skies, but I suppose in someways it’s nice knowing that those moments are now just in my memory, rather than captured in a photograph.
Tous Mag: Do you think your eyes are constantly attuned to composition/lighting/tones, spending so much time behind the camera, even when you're "off duty”?
Christopher Skingley: My mates are always joking about how much I talk about the colours and lighting of a certain place, but I don’t think it’s because I’m thinking of taking a photo, I’m just appreciating something for what it is. I think it's important not to alway be behind a camera. Taking images just because I have a camera on me always feels slightly wrong and so these moments where I’m appreciating lighting or warmth, or whatever is in front of me without feeling the need to take a photo, I feel actually contribute towards taking more genuine and honest images when I step back behind the camera.
Tous Mag: Could you tell us about your project 'The Fishermans Way’ walk?
Christopher Skingley: I was looking into the relationship between people, spaces and the act of travelling through them. ‘The Fisherman’s Way’ is a route in the south of Portugal and by walking it I was trying to figure out what was important to me through a detachment from society. In someways, I used the ‘The Fisherman’s Way’ as a sort of pilgrimage to understand what I found valuable in my life without the everyday to distract. Walking is such a simple act that many people nowadays overlook it as a transportation method, but for me and others I’ve spoken to see it as slowing down and just breathing in such a busy and scheduled world.
Tous Mag: How does this compare to your project where you visited The Brithdir Mawr Community in Wales?
Christopher Skingley: Both stories I believe touch on the subject of being less weighed down. The Brithdir Mawr community are pioneers of consuming less in physical possessions, they encourage people to only consume what they need, rather than submitting to society telling us what we want. ‘The Fisherman’s Way’ similarly touches upon the emotional strain we obtain from being sucked into the society’s standard of a five day week and not taking the time to create a presence in ourselves. There’s a lot of unnecessary baggage in today’s world, both emotional and material, with no real need for it.
Tous Mag: Could you tell us about the Sony World Photography Grant and how you feel the program might impact aspiring photographers?
Christopher Skingley: I had never submitted my work into any competitions prior to the Sony World Photography Grant. If I’m honest, I wasn’t even planning on entering until my mate told me to on the last day of submissions. As a result of receiving this grant I have been able to purchase a water housing for my camera, something I’ve wanted for years but never been able to justify the expense for. This has allowed me to push my work further, and start working first-hand in the environment I find most inspiring; the sea.
There are so many great photographers out there, and I believe that opportunities like the Sony World Photo Grant, will enable for these emerging artists to strengthen their portfolios and get their work seen by the masses. I am very grateful to be a recipient of this grant and I think the positive impact these opportunities have for recent graduates is worth celebrating, (and well worth entering!)
Tous Mag: In this project, you'll be documenting the relationship between individuals and the sea. How would you describe your personal relationship with the sea?
Christopher Skingley: I grew up very close to the coast. For me the sea has always been a big part of my life and where I have always felt the most comfortable. When I first picked a camera up, it felt natural to shoot my surrounding environments and as time has progressed, I feel that my attraction to the sea has remained a constant in my work.
When I moved to art college and later to university, I always found myself leaving the city to go and find a piece of coastline to explore. I realise now, how important it is for me to maintain that connection to water and finding others with similar relationships is an exciting prospect for this upcoming project.
It feels as though, my relationship with photography over the years has been working towards this project, and with this opportunity given by The Sony World Photography Organisation, it finally feels like the right time to pursue it.
Tous Mag: If we asked you to give an important message to our readers, what would it be?
Christopher Skingley: During this weird period of time, I’ve spoken to a lot of friends and family about what really matters, and I believe that this pandemic has really opened everyones eyes to new perspectives. Leaving University and the city, I see now how easily one can get caught up in the structure and monotony of everyday life, and forget what it is that actually makes us happy. If I were to take anything away from my recent projects on ‘The Brithdir Mawr Community’ and ’The Fisherman’s Way’ it would be that simple living is perhaps the most fulfilling of all. People often think that by filling your house with all these modern technologies and possessions, you are fulfilling your desire to feel happy and successful but if there’s anything that I’ve learnt it’s that a solo walk in a new environment or a group swim in familiar waters has far more to offer. For me, at least.
