Story 87: Martin Brink
What is your backstory?
I took a basic photography class in school, learning the basics and a bit of darkroom work. But it was really the shift to digital technology that made me more interested in photography. I briefly interned at an ad agency and went on to assist a commercial photographer. At the same I consumed a lot of photography online, exhibitions and books. I guess that's when I became more serious about photography.
What camera gear / editing setup do you use?
I've used lots of different gear over the years. All I know is that it doesn't matter that much. I tend to mostly print quite small so file quality is good enough from most cameras. Right now I have a Sony full frame camera and my smartphone. I prefer to shoot with a zoom and not bring tons of gear if I bring the "real camera". I edit on an older gen 27 inch iMac with a calibrated screen.
How do you achieve the look of your photographs and could you take us through the process?
Honestly by not overdoing it. It's easy to kill a photograph by overprocessing it. You have to have a clear idea while shooting, after that I don't do more than adjust exposure, tonality and sometimes correct perspective if needed. I only add contrast or other stuff if I feel it's needed.
Could you tell us the backstory of some of yours photographs?
The photos here are from my long ongoing series Walks and from a shorter series titled Skummeslöv, published in a zine by Another Place Press. Walks is probably a forever ongoing series in which I shoot when I see a composition has formed in front of me, in the direction I'm walking. I've been doing these for 10 years. For Skummeslöv I will use the short statement I used for the publisher: "During the end of the summer 2020 I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days in a relative’s summer house in Skummeslöv. It’s a place I’m very familiar with and where I’ve spent a lot of time over the years. Naturally, I started making photographs and in these I try to show what I associate with the place: the nature, the architecture, the light and the ocean."
What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?
To not listen to someone like me. :-) Kidding aside, there's some truth in that. Do what you want to do, without "filters". Look at lots of work, but then try to forget about it. That said, it's impossible to be 100% original these days, so have lots of integrity and focus on quality over quantity. Don't rush it. I would also advise that you don't pay loads of money for portfolio reviews, workshops and in competition fees.
