Trees and landscapes are familiar photographic subjects in Autumn, but for Greater Manchester photographer and educator Dave Laffan, it's also an opportunity to look beyond the obvious. Through creative techniques and a different way of seeing, he's exploring what happens when technical understanding meets creative freedom.
Professional photographer Dave Laffan set out to create a collection of images that captured autumn in Manchester as he experienced it. Using multiple exposures, created entirely in camera, Dave sought to interpret not just the colours of the season, but the movement, atmosphere and feeling of the day.
Photography is often about learning to see things differently. A change in perspective or an unexpected approach to light can transform an otherwise familiar scene into something quite extraordinary.
For award-winning professional photographer and educator Dave Laffan, autumn provides the perfect opportunity to explore this idea.
With rich colours, changing light and intricate natural textures, the season offers endless photographic possibilities. But rather than simply documenting the familiar reds, oranges and golds of autumn, Dave was interested in exploring something a little different.
Images that went beyond documentation towards personal interpretation.
Looking beyond the obvious
Dave has always had a particular fascination with creative experimentation. Whether photographing landscapes, people or the everyday world around him, he's interested in how photographic decisions influence the way a subject is seen.
His approach to this autumn shoot was no different.
“I’ve not had the opportunity to head into the landscape until quite late in the season this year,” he explains. “And with the recent spate of storms we've had across Greater Manchester, I was very aware that a lot of the colour would have fallen away from the trees in the high winds. With that in mind, I'd already decided that I would probably need to approach the photographs rather differently on this shoot.”
Dave's instinct was correct, with many trees having already shed their leaves. Rather than concentrating solely on capturing the landscape as it presented itself, he began exploring how multiple exposures could change the character of his images. By combining exposures in camera, he was able to introduce an element of abstraction, retaining the structure and identity of the trees whilst bringing additional colour, texture and movement.
By using multiple exposure techniques, Dave was able to manipulate the image in-camera to deliver a representation of the tree that went beyond documentation.
It's a technique that encourages experimentation. The positioning of the camera, the relationship between exposures and the way different elements overlap all influence the final result.
“I love this kind of challenge. Creating something really different, seeing an idea come to life in-camera, makes all the years of learning really feel worthwhile,” he says.
For Dave, this is the real enjoyment of photography: using technical knowledge as a foundation for creative expression, rather than allowing it to become a limitation.
Master the Technical | Free the Creative
This way of thinking is central to Dave's photography education business, Let's Click Photography, and underpins his approach to teaching photography.
“Understanding the fundamentals of how a camera works is key to becoming a confident photographer. Being able to make intentional technical decisions, and knowing your camera inside out, gives photographers the foundation to realise their creative vision.”
But technical knowledge is only the starting point.
As demonstrated in his autumn images, understanding the technical possibilities of a camera allows photographers to move beyond simply recording what they see and start exploring how they interpret it.
Once those technical principles become second nature, photographers can spend less time worrying about camera settings and more time exploring composition, light, movement and creative expression.
It's about understanding why something works, rather than simply being told which settings to use.
This philosophy underpins Dave's practical photography workshops and one-to-one tuition across Greater Manchester. Working with photographers of all abilities, from complete beginners to those looking to develop a more individual creative style, his aim is to give people the knowledge and confidence to explore their own photographic potential.
“Practice, practice, practice. It’s what I tell every single photographer I work with,” explains Dave
Sharing the enjoyment of photography
Having transitioned into professional photography in 2019, following more than a decade of photographic development, Dave has developed a diverse photographic career spanning commercial, corporate, editorial and documentary photography.
His experience working with major brands and private clients has given him a broad understanding of the craft, but it's his enthusiasm for sharing that knowledge that drives him as an educator.
Designed to be friendly, practical and accessible, his workshops help people develop their understanding of photography through hands-on experience, and an emphasis on building confidence and encouraging individual expression.
“I don't aim to teach someone how to take a photograph. I try to encourage a way of thinking alongside the technical knowledge.”
It's an approach that extends beyond the workshop itself. Dave has a particular message for everyone who attends his courses:
“I tell every photographer that the workshop was the easy part. The days, weeks and months of practice, practice, practice are where the hard work starts.”
And, as Dave demonstrates through his autumn images, that practice really does pay off.
Interested in developing your photography?
Dave runs practical photography courses, workshops and individual tuition across Manchester and the surrounding areas.
Discover more about his approach and explore upcoming courses at Let's Click Photography.