About Tim Smalley
My goal is to create simple, structured and contemplative images of the landscape. I seek to photograph places that mean something to me and that help improve my wellbeing.
My Inspiration
I care deeply about the environment and, having grown up in the Peak District, my concern is deep-rooted in my childhood. I am bewildered by the failure of multiple governments to stop the gradual elimination of Britain’s ancient forests. These irreplaceable habitats are our most diverse land-based havens but are in decline, as is the wildlife that inhabits them. Britain’s ancient woodland is being destroyed at the fastest rate since the First World War.
While studying for my GCSE Art, I studied Black & White photography. This was my first foray into thoughtful, considered photography. It gave me the photography bug, and I worked hard at my part-time job to buy my first SLR camera. My project, a series of hand-printed black and white prints of ancient trees, landed me the academic prize for Art in the final year of my GCSEs.
I moved to the South East of England for university and I have been living here ever since. My life changed in 2008 when I lost my first wife to cancer and then sold my first business in the space of a few months.
Although I had a job in London in the IT industry, photography became an outlet for the pain and emptiness I felt. But I came to realise that getting out into the landscape helped me to put things into perspective; being able to bring the memories back was just a bonus. It helped me deal with the stresses of my job as a Marketing Director.
Following the sale of the last company I worked for in 2017, I left my role after three hard years turning the business around and getting it ready for sale. Soon after, I suffered a severe breakdown that almost cost me my life.
Thankfully, I managed to find help. And photography became an increasingly important creative medium through which to express my feelings - it has, quite literally, saved my life.
Since then, I worked towards becoming a professional photographer. I took on commissions on my days off and, as I got busier, I slowly started to reduce the hours of the part-time job I held. Then, at the start of the pandemic, I decided to push ahead with my dream and I have been working as a full-time professional since March 2020.
“The images that have stood the test of time are those with many pictures within a picture. And they are those that show a sense of what it feels like to be present. They are those where I was truly in the moment.”
My Equipment
Up until recently, the majority of my work was produced on large format film. I chose this medium because of its inherent limitations, as it requires discipline and strong intention when making images.
Unfortunately, I have suffered persistent back problems for the best part of five years and carrying my large format film camera is no longer feasible. I’ve since started using Sony’s Alpha system, which I also use professionally for my commercial photography.
I carry two main lenses with my A7RIII camera: a 24-105mm and a 100-400mm. Occasionally, I will carry a 90mm Macro lens, or a 12-24mm ultra-wide angle, but only when the location or subject demands it. I carry a second ‘scrapbook’ camera, which is a Sony A6400 with an 18-135mm lens. This set up gives me lots of flexibility and helps to keep the weight off my back.
While digital has its drawbacks and it’s a naturally ‘fast’ format (it’s very easy to run and gun like a headless chicken), I still adopt the same discipline that was required to make successful images with a 4x5-inch view camera. I take my time before I commit to compositions, and wait for the ideal moment to make my exposure.
