Kim Grant: From Nursing to Creating Photographic Connections

Kim Grant Guest 00:03

A picture is beautiful in itself, and it's lovely to share, but when you've actually been there at that moment with that person experiencing it, you know that's where the true living comes from. 

Angela Nicholson Host 00:15

Welcome to the SheClicks Women in Photography podcast. I'm Angela Nicholson, and I'm the founder of SheClicks, which is a community for female photographers. In these podcasts, I talk with women in the photographic industry to hear about their experiences, what drives them and how they got to where they are now. This episode features Kim Grant, a Scottish photographer, photographic workshop leader and the person behind Visualising Scotland. She's a Nikon creator and also recently launched a new venture called Photographic Connections. Hi, Kim, it's great to see you again.

Kim Grant Guest

And you, yeah, it's brilliant. Thanks for having me. 

Angela Nicholson Host

That's all right, it's really nice to see you. It's quite funny because, well, we've communicated remotely on several occasions, and then we actually got to meet at the Amateur Photographer Award a few weeks ago, and I mean that was really nice, but we were glammed up to the nines at the time, so it was a bit different for us. 

Kim Grant Guest 01:05

Yes, very much so I felt a bit out of sorts at that sort of event. It's not something I'm used to at all, getting glammed up and all that. I love, obviously, being out in nature and just wearing comfy clothes. So yeah, it was brilliant. But you were rocking very trendy casual shoes, so well done. I love that. 

Angela Nicholson Host 01:25

Oh, yes, thanks very much. Yeah, I mean, it was a great event, but you do find yourself. I mean again, well, where's my fleece? I'm feeling a bit cold. You know, dressing up, this comes as a bit of a break from the norm. 

Kim Grant Guest 01:34

It does, it does. I mean, I don't wear dresses personally, so I just went in a nice suit, which was nice, because I kind of felt like I still had my jacket on. You know, It kind of still felt a little bit like I was out in nature, which was nice. 

Angela Nicholson Host 01:50

Yeah, you looked very smart, so that was great. 

Anyway, let's start sort of not right back at the beginning, but close to the beginning. At what point did you actually realise that photography could be a career for you, or in fact, it was going to be a career for you? 

Kim Grant Guest 02:01

That's a really interesting question because I never in a million years thought I'd be doing photography as a business or a job. It was never my ambition; it was never my goal. I just started photography for fun as a teenager, to kind of get me through quite difficult emotional times, and I did what most people do when they left school. I went to college and university. I trained to be a nurse, and I worked as a nurse for three years. But I realised that although I enjoyed it, there was aspects of it that really didn't align with me. And throughout all of that, I just continued doing my photography and when I made the decision that I wanted to leave nursing, I was like, what am I going to do? So I went off and did some voluntary conservation work, travelled around Scotland, staying in different places, getting all this experience, and at the same time, I started my YouTube channel, which was just a bit of fun. 

02:52

I just thought I've been doing photography for years, let's see what else cameras can do, let's record some video, record my adventures around Scotland, and it was just a bit of a creative thing for me And I never in a million years thought that people would watch what I was doing. But literally about a year after starting YouTube, I was able to start earning a little, a little bit of income from various little things. And then I had about two years where I tried to make it into a business, not really succeeding, and it's only really been in the last year and a half, maybe, that I can say that I'm now officially fully full time and can support myself. So it's funny because, like I say, it was never my intention. I never thought I'd be able to do it professionally. I never thought I'd get an audience. I don't know anything about business or anything. It just for me. It kind of happened. It was a very bizarre process, but I'm so glad it did, because now I cannot imagine doing anything else with my life. 

Angela Nicholson Host 03:46

So I take it you didn't really kind of plan out a career path as such. It's just at some point, you decided nursing was no longer the thing for you and you needed to switch to something else, and photography kind of came to your rescue, in a way. 

Kim Grant Guest 03:59

A hundred percent. I mean, I think my whole story actually is really about photography coming to my rescue. It got me out of very difficult or it helped me through very difficult, challenging, emotional times as a teenager. And then again that transition phase of what do I do? Now I really don't want to do nursing. It's always been there for me, and it's funny because I don't really do your conventional professional photography stuff. I don't sell prints. I've done a few commercial commissions but I really don't enjoy it. 

04:28

For me, a lot of my photography work comes from inspiring people, putting the inspiration to get into nature, be creative out there. And I think, yeah, I always knew that I wanted to do something creative with my life, but I just imagined that I would be doing creative things as a hobby. I never expected people to actually make a living out of creativity. And it's funny because, like, my interests have always been in health and well-being and psychology, philosophy and creativity, and I never really knew what path to go down. Did I go and do my nursing? Did I go and do a psychology degree? 

05:03

But, yeah, going to kind of study photography was never something that appealed to me at all. It was always just going to be a hobby. Yeah, there was no tailored career path, no ideas. It's just kind of like doing what I enjoy doing, creating things, putting it out there, and I've just been very fortunate that people have enjoyed what I've been putting out there and I've then been able to create a business and a living from it. Yeah, I thought I sort of pinched myself because it just kind of just doesn't feel real. So, 100% without YouTube, I would not be doing photography right now professionally. 

Angela Nicholson Host 05:37

You said you have done some commercial work, but it's not your thing. Did you go out and actively try and find clients, or did they come to you? 

Kim Grant Guest 05:46

It was a mix. When I started doing a little bit of tourism stuff, the first one or two people that reached out to me was people reaching out to me being like we've seen your YouTube channel. We like what you do. you showcase Scotland. Would you like to come and do some work for us, take some photographs and what will pay you? And then, once I got one or two jobs doing that, I then was seeking it. I would email different tourism boards and see if I could get anywhere with it, but it never really aligned with me. 

06:11

I've never been into the commercial corporate world ever. For me it's always been about individuals and I think that's why I love or wanted to become a nurse, for instance. I wanted to help people individually with their own lives, their own journey, their own well-being. And that's where I'm kind of looping back to now. I've tried the commercial stuff. I photographed one wedding for a friend. Absolutely hated it. Would never do that again. I've never been interested in photographing people. It's just like and it's funny because I speak to a lot of photographers who do outdoor nature photography like me, and nearly all of them had to start in wedding photography, portrait photography, because that's where the money is perceived to be and where people kind of begin. But yeah, I love that. things are changing now thanks to the internet, and we can now make a living doing whatever genre of photography interests us providing. yeah, a lot of things have to come together, but yeah. 

Angela Nicholson Host 07:08

One of the things about weddings is there are some people who are you know, they absolutely excel at it and they really, really love it. But also for people who are coming into the industry, yes, it's a bit scary, but it's a solid kind of income. You do a job and you, you know you get paid. So it's logical path for a lot of people, but there are, like you discovered, it's not for everybody. 

Kim Grant Guest 07:31

I mean, you can see, you know people get married all the time and it's the same with people having babies or wanting photographs of their children, for instance. There's always going to be a need for that because it's a personal thing that people are always going to be interested in having those images of their beautiful day, the images of their children growing up. You know that there's always going to be clients for those kind of jobs, but I do kind of feel like to do that successfully You really need to be a certain type of person and I'm quite introverted. So me being in a wedding situation trying to round people up and kind of get them, you know, in position for images, and just dealing with all these people. I think the pressure of having always people kind of relying on you to produce photographs of a day that's never going to happen again, yeah, I can see why a lot of people have to go into that to begin, or why they feel they have to and why a lot of people do it. 

08:24

I think just one thing with me is that I've always just been very aware when I try something. I always believe in trying everything once. So if I do something and I'm like, whoa, this really doesn't feel right for me, I'm not comfortable. Then it's like, okay, what else can I do? And trying to carve a path that is more aligned with me. So, yeah, wedding just was not for me, and even a small friend wedding, it was just very intense and I felt under a lot of pressure. 

Angela Nicholson Host 08:50

Yeah, that's fair enough. I think that's a really good idea, though, to try everything once, because sometimes you do get surprised, don't you think, oh, this is going to be awful whatever it is, and then afterwards, maybe it wasn't great while you did it, but afterwards you feel amazing. So you kind of think, yeah, I'm going to do that again. you know, just try things. But yeah, sometimes it's just not for you and clearly weddings isn't the right thing for you. Now it's interesting because I thought you probably were an introvert and you know I can tell that you absolutely adore going into the countryside, into nature and just kind of losing yourself there and connecting with it through your camera. But how do you marry that up with workshops? Because obviously you know that's with lots of people who well, a group of people who are all looking to you for direction where should they go, what should they do with their cameras, what settings should they use? 

Kim Grant Guest 09:40

Yeah, it's funny, I kind of have spurts of being a bit extroverted at times. I am an Aries, so I have got this kind of extroverted side to me, but I'm definitely predominantly introverted. But yeah, it comes to me kind of in waves. If I'm constantly around people I get so drained. So when it comes to doing a workshop I have to ensure the day before I've got very little on so I can have that kind of time to myself to kind of go within to recharge. So when the workshop begins I can give it my all And usually I'll have to have a day or so afterwards to recuperate as well. 

10:14

So I do find when I'm in certain environments, and particularly it's been reflected back to me a few times when I'm doing something that I'm genuinely passionate about. So taking people out onto a location that you know is beautiful and helping them with their photography, it's something that I'm genuinely passionate about. So it just kind of comes out of me and I'm able to do it. But if you put me in another environment and try to get me to interact with people and do things, I'd actually be the one kind of sitting in the corridor, quiet, not really saying much. So yeah, I think. For me it's all about if I'm doing something I'm passionate about in an environment that I'm passionate about being in, I'm fine. But other than that, yeah, a lot of people would say I'm quite quiet. 

Angela Nicholson Host 10:54

I'm increasingly thinking of photography as a shared experience. We typically think about photographers as taking photographs and then they show the pictures and that is the sharing. But through going to SheClicks workshops (meet-ups), I've really found the power of sharing the capturing experience and I guess you must get that on your workshops . 

Kim Grant Guest 11:15

100%. I'm kind of realising now that experience is so important in life and when you're having an experience with a group of people, whether it's through a workshop or just a meetup with your camera, whatever it may be it brings more meaning to it. And I also find like if I go out with a photographer friend which is quite rare, but when I do, there's an added element to it. It's like sharing that experience, sharing that time, making those memories with people, and yeah, it's really really beautiful. So, yeah, it's lovely to have that experience in photography, because a picture is beautiful in itself and it's lovely to share, but when you've actually been there at that moment with that person experiencing it, you know that's where the true living comes from. So, yeah, it's beautiful to be able to do that. 

Angela Nicholson Host 11:58

And I think actually, you can get about the same amount of pleasure from somebody else capturing an image, from you capturing it. And, as an example I can think of, I was testing a Fuji 150 to 600mm lens and a friend of mine was very interested in trying it So I lent it to her for a few moments. We were walking around and we just happened to stumble across a Kingfisher as you do And of course she had the most amazing lens and she was really really happy and she got the shots and I just sort of nodded to myself and thought this is just perfect because actually I wasn't getting the pictures, but I could see how happy she was and it was just a really, really nice experience. 

Kim Grant Guest 12:38

It is lovely when you can share those moments and you can kind of step back and just have appreciation and gratitude for what the other person that you're with is managing to take as well. Yeah, definitely I love it after workshops when I get people to send in. You know, we all kind of collate our images afterwards, once they've been home and edited them and then create like a Google Drive or something to share them. And especially in a group situation, you can't be with every participant all the time and they do sometimes come away with images that you didn't even realise they'd taken and you're like wow, that happened in that moment and you're really happy for them because, yes, you were there, but they've seen something different and they've been able to create whatever images they've created and it is It's that just being a part of it, but also having kind of joy in that for whoever you're with and what they are managing to do as well, it's really nice. 

Angela Nicholson Host 13:30

Yeah, I think that's absolutely lovely. But how did you introduce workshops to your career? I mean, at what point you said right? Okay, I think I could lead a workshop. I'm going to get together six people; you know, how did you plan it all out? How did it go for you? 

Kim Grant Guest 13:47

In the beginning very, very challenging. So when I began doing workshops, I was not in a place to do big workshops, you know, like long weekend workshops with accommodation and all that. It was just too much for me. So I began by putting on smaller workshops, usually about four hours long in the evening, going out for sunset. And yeah, when I first began, a number of workshops wouldn't get any bookings. Some would only get one or two people and I think for me the reason that didn't work was because my audience weren't local, like a lot of people who watch my YouTube channel are not local to me. So for them to come up to the Northeast of Scotland for an evening workshop, it wasn't enough And I just, I just didn't have the confidence to do more than that. 

14:31

I thought how can I do a whole weekend workshop? And I was putting all these barriers in place of how do I find the right accommodation, what do I do about transport, how do I fill the time, what do I do about food? And it wasn't until the photographer, margaret Sarea, who's also based up here in Scotland, we did a joint workshop together up in the Highlands And because she's ran workshops for years, I was able to see how she did it and have almost like a mentor along with me where we kind of shared the teaching time, but I was able to kind of see how she does her workshops. And I still was kind of like, oh, I don't really know how to do this with regards to everything else. And then I just had a really freak moment one day when I was doing some tourism work. I had to go to a hotel to interview the manager, who was also the chef, about a famous soup And she said would you like to do photography workshops at the hotel? And I was like, oh, and she's like, we'll give you, you know, the accommodation and breakfast. And we managed to create a sort of package and it turned out this the Middish Hotel is amazing, it's right beside a beach and the hospitality is amazing. So for me, it was funny because it was just like a a series of events that happened really and kind of put me in the process of doing that. And now that I am running long weekend workshops because they're three nights staying in a hotel, kind of three days of photography people are now coming to them because my audience are predominantly Central Scotland, england and sometimes abroad. So it makes sense for them now to come up for these longer workshops And with the accommodation, that kind of being included, then it's yeah, it makes it more worthwhile for them. 

16:07

So, a massive process and, yeah, in the beginning I didn't genuinely didn't really know what I was doing with regards to setting them up, but it's like I think it's like with anything if you have a passion and it's all about trial and error, you try it. okay, this isn't working, why I'm not getting bookings, what can I do differently? And over time, you bring more and more value into the workshops and you learn more and more, to the point where you then feel able to create something really good and people come. And now in the position where I'm really fortunate that I have repeat customers or clients should I say repeat clients as well which is so humbling. So, yeah, a big process and a lot to overcome, but it's yeah, and I'm still evolving all the time. I'm still trying different types of workshops and different locations, different themes, and that's just part of the process. You want to keep things fresh, not just for you, but for those who come on it as well. 

Angela Nicholson Host 16:58

So, yeah, yeah, but how fantastic that Margaret was able to help you. I mean, that's firstly really good of her, but it's just so nice that that kind of ethos goes on in the photographic industry, and I see it all the time. 

Kim Grant Guest 17:11

Definitely. I think it's so important particularly when you're new to something, you don't really understand the logistics of it to find somebody else in the industry who is more experienced than you. And if you've got a nice connection, you've got things in common. It is amazing. You both get something out of it, and that workshop was brilliant because she got some new clients that had never been to her workshops before And I got the experience of getting to almost shadow her and see how she did it. So, yeah, it was really nice and I learned a lot from it. So, yeah, I think that's a good advice there for anybody listening. 

17:46

If you want to try something new in your photography, you want to try and earn a living from something If you don't really know how to do it, see who's out there doing it And There's a lot of people who will happily take you along, because there's room for everything. I think every photographer has a different approach, so there's room for us all to be doing what we're doing and we'll attract the right people to our workshops. And, yeah, if we share the resources time, energy, skills, expertise it only grows and more people become interested, which is lovely. 

Angela Nicholson Host 18:24

That's fantastic. Do you have a favourite icebreaker? When you walk into a room of people waiting for your workshop to begin and you have to say hello and get everybody to feel comfortable, do you have a favourite icebreaker? 

Kim Grant Guest 18:38

Well, what I do now, because it's either long weekend workshops now we always begin the weekend with a welcome meal, so I'll get the hotel to just book us a table and we'll all meet in the restaurant And then we've got an hour and a half just getting to know each other, eating food, chatting, and then, once we've all been introduced and got to know each other, I do a sort of introduction, presentation thing in the evening before we then head out the following morning to start the photography. So I find that it's really nice because everybody's able to meet, socialise, network before we then get into the workshop. So, yeah, I find that works really really well, and that is something I also took from Margaret as well, so I have to give her credit from that. 

Angela Nicholson Host 19:24

Food is a great way of getting to know someone, actually, isn't it? Chatting about the menu and it's just. Yeah, it is a good icebreaker, a great introduction. 

Kim Grant Guest 19:30

Definitely, definitely, And it also just kind of gets people to know each other and takes a pressure off everybody. You know, I think, when especially maybe the person running the workshop when you go into a room of people waiting patiently for you, you walk in the room, all eyes are on you and it's like you have to start straight away, Whereas if you start in a much more social environment, you know people feel more relaxed and people are also feel more relaxed coming into that environment, because it's something that many people are used to kind of being in before everything begins, Because, especially if somebody's coming to your workshop for the first time, they don't really know what to expect. They don't know what you're going to do, where you're going to take them, how things progress. So if you can start on a nice friendly note, doing something that we all need to do eating a meal then you know you're beginning on a relaxing phase. 

20:17

So, and for me especially, group workshops that are a few days long, it's not just about photography, It's about the people you meet, the connections you make, the conversations you have, And it's about ensuring that runs throughout the whole thing. You know it's not just you're not just here to learn photography and do this and do that. You're actually here to connect with people, potentially make new friends, new connections, whatever it may be, And that's always kind of an ethos that I do in my workshops. Now It's much more about the connection, not just to others, but to nature and everything as well, And that self-expression. It's not I'm not a photography workshop host that takes you to exact locations or tells them what to photograph. It's just a very much, you know, giving people the freedom to do what they want to do, but they learn along the way, which I find is just a nice, friendly, relaxing way of doing things. 

Angela Nicholson Host 21:11

Sounds very enjoyable. Now you mentioned that early on. Youtube was very significant to you. Still shoot a lot of videos for YouTube, but how did you feel that very first time you turned the camera on yourself? 

Kim Grant Guest 21:24

Terrifying. I remember my first and actually a photography video. I was up in the Scottish Highlands doing conservation work for a charity called Trees for Life and I wanted to document my week. I remember going into the woods as deep as I could so there'd be nobody around, trying to find a really quiet spot, setting up my camera and just speaking to the camera. And it must have taken me about 20 takes. I'd just, I'd be stumbling, I'd be stuttering, I wouldn't really know what to say And, yeah, I didn't get really frustrated with myself because I'm like, oh, the words aren't coming out. So, yeah, the first time I did it was really daunting because you know, speaking to another person we're all kind of used to that, but speaking to a camera is a completely new thing to do. That you're not getting any feedback, it's an inanimate object and it's very weird. 

22:17

So, yeah, in the beginning it was very, very challenging for me, but I think over time what I've kind of realized is a lot of YouTube photographers are very introverted. You obviously do have a few extroverted ones, but a lot of them are very introverted and they actually, once they get over that initial fear of speaking to camera, it gives them a voice because you haven't got that that person making a comment or responding to you straight away. It's like you can just speak what you want to speak and put it out there And it's like it's I don't know it's funny, but it just. I think it's an introvert. It gives you the chance to speak what you need to speak, which you may struggle to do in a group situation, and get your kind of view and your vision and whatever you want to get across. And a lot of introverts, I find, get a lot of benefit from speaking to a camera because, yeah, it just it gives them that voice that they sometimes struggle to have in a normal human-to-human interaction. 

Angela Nicholson Host 23:17

Well, that's really interesting. I mean, I watched your more recent videos and you know you are, you look very, very relaxed and you are natural, and actually what impressed me is you can talk for quite some time. You know coherently as well, before there's a cut. 

Kim Grant Guest 23:33

Thank you, Yeah, I think it's funny. If I do a scripted video which is very rare for me then I do really struggle to maintain the flow because I'll forget something I wanted to say and then I'll get frustrated. And I'm not the best at memorising a script, so I wouldn't be a very good actress. But when it comes to like vlogging, I think for me, because a lot of my videos are responding to what's going on around me I might have a specific idea in mind for a video, but usually I'm just responding Like we are just now in this conversation, but I'm responding to the clouds, the sea, the sunlight, whatever it may be, and it's just like I'm just like whatever comes to me, I just speak it out, just like I try not to resist it. 

24:21

I'm just speaking it out, and I think, because I'm trying not to resist things and it's just naturally what I'm thinking and feeling, then it becomes quite easy to articulate and allow it to flow through me, I guess. So yeah, but yeah, there are some times when maybe my head's not in it, where I am more stuttery and do have to take a few takes and redo things, but if I'm really relaxed on location, there's not people around, I can't just kind of speak, because I'm relaxed and nature is like my solace. I could be very uptight and agitated indoors, but when I'm outside it's like I just feel free and it's like nature's always been like my home. So when you're put again, when you're putting in an environment that you're relaxed in and you feel safe in, then it's easier to have that voice and speak, I guess. 

Angela Nicholson Host 25:11

Yeah, I mean I don't shoot a lot of video that features me. I haven't done for a long time. But say, if I'm testing a microphone or something like that, I get what you're saying about. You know you try and go to the deepest, darkest bit of the woods so you can talk to the camera or anyone to look behind you and see whether someone's there they're listening to you. But it's really disconcerting those first few times And inevitably somebody will pop out from somewhere and you should say what are you doing? 

Kim Grant Guest 25:41

I'm just talking to the camera, yeah yeah, that's happened to me a few times and you just to try and get back in the flow afterwards is so difficult. But I think most people don't. Actually it's weird. Most people don't actually realise I'm talking to the camera. They'll just start asking me about photography and all what you're photographing And I'm just like, oh, maybe they didn't realise I was speaking to the camera, maybe they thought I was speaking to myself And they don't realise the camera's still rolling and they're speaking to you. So I think they're just a bit like okay, but yeah, it is. And I have no idea how vloggers who walk through London and stuff vlogging in the street do it, but I guess, depending on where you are actually in some cities it's quite normal now, but when you're out in the woods and you're just like somebody's walking their dog and they just see you speaking to a camera, it can be a bit strange. 

Angela Nicholson Host 26:25

So yeah, Maybe it's a bit like you know, when you go to a restaurant there's a kind of there's a range of volume that you want in there. You know, if you're the only two people in there, you feel like every conversation you have is echoing around and anyone can hear it. But if there's a few people chatting it's okay, And then if the volume's really, really loud, you just can't make yourself heard and it's quite a stressful experience. Maybe it's a bit like that. 

Kim Grant Guest 26:51

Yeah, quite possibly, quite possibly. 

Angela Nicholson Host 26:55

Now, you recently announced a new venture called Photographic Connections. Would you like to tell us a little bit about that? 

Kim Grant Guest 27:03

Yeah. So I think I've kind of got to the stage now where I realise what I want to do with my photography work. I realise that for me, kind of teaching the technicalities of photography is not my strongest point. I can do it but it's not what I enjoy doing And there's so many people out there who you can go to to learn how to do photography. But I think I realise that you know my interest, as I've kind of said, has always been wellbeing, getting into nature, creativity, psychology, philosophy, and I've been trying to think how can I bring a lot of these elements into the photography world? and especially because the photography world for many years has been very technical, very gear orientated, I thought how do we make it into more of a creative, safe space where people can explore themselves and also connect? So Photographic Connections is I've created it to help people to create connection to self, nature and others through the art of photography. 

27:57

So there's two different parts to Photographic Connections. There's a weekly podcast which is available to listen to on all the major streaming platforms and the YouTube channel where I'll just be chatting to other photographers from around the world about their photographic experiences. But I'm trying to go deeper with them to really get to the core of what does photography mean to them, how does it help them through some of their toughest times in life, and also to get the kind of message across about the importance of this connection to nature. And I'm hoping that podcast will inspire people to maybe see photography in a new way And also to just see all the incredible things that are going on in the world from photography. And then there's also a monthly challenge that I'm doing just for anybody to get involved with And it's again it just is playing on with that theme, really getting them to think about themselves, get out into nature and have that connection. And then there's a member's element to the community as well, which is £10 a month, and there will be a monthly webinar which links to the theme. 

28:59

But it's not teaching photography. It's teaching things that link to photography but also have a very deep well-being element to them, a creative element to them, and things that I'm pulling from all different places from psychology, from well-being, from everything and putting them together with photography and creativity to try and just all people's minds up to how powerful photography can be for them. And then we've got a closed Facebook group and there's also going to be like a monthly blog post where all the members can get their images shown, and there'll be monthly check-ins as well, so that as a community, no matter where everybody is in the world, we can get together on Zoom and have this space where we just chat and see how everybody's getting on, if anyone's got any questions, if they want to share anything. So, yeah, I'm just trying to kind of bring everything I've learned over the years and all my passions together into this project And, I guess, try and give the photography world and the photography community and those that resonate with the message a chance to find something in the photography world that is growing. 

30:03

But I feel there's still a space for that, and I don't feel well-being has been, as maybe, spoken about in the photography world as much as a lot of other things. So it's nice to try and create a space for people to explore these aspects. 

Angela Nicholson Host 30:18

Well, it sounds absolutely fantastic and I'm very, very confident that you will make it work really well. It's clear that you've got quite an analytical brain when it comes to your own sort of position in the world and position of nature, how you feel about things and photography, and how the market is going and how the industry might develop, and I think it's all going to sit really nicely together with your love of psychology and connecting people. I think it sounds great, oh thank you very much. 

Kim Grant Guest 30:51

I think not everybody will get this, but I've become quite a spiritual person over the last few years and I think, through doing a lot of work on myself, through my own therapy and my own kind of healing journey, it's just trying to work out, based on everything I've been through in my life and the things that I've learned, how can I then help other people with what they might be going through? And it's been brilliant, I mean, at the time of recording this. Photographic connections has only been out for a week And I've had some incredible people sharing their stories with me. You know really, really deep stuff they've gone through in their life. You know trauma, grief, all that kind of stuff, but there's always been a twist on it and how photography has helped them through that. 

31:31

And I just feel so humbled that people are sharing this with me, but that there's also those people around the world who have been so positively affected by photography and photography has got them out of the deepest, darkest depressions and all sorts of things. And I think it's just would be nice for people out there who are struggling with whatever it may be depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, childhood experiences too, if they are creative. So I think maybe photography might be a nice outlet for me to discover myself a bit more and to meet new people and bringing that together with that connection to nature. There's so many scientific studies that show the importance of this connection to nature and getting out with your camera is a fantastic way to give you the motivation and incentive to do that. So, yeah, yeah, it's exciting. I'm really looking forward to seeing where it's going to take everybody that gets involved. 

Angela Nicholson Host 32:24

Great, all best of luck with it. I'm sure you don't need it, but best of luck anyway, thank you, okay, so we've come to the section that I'm going to call Six from SheClicks, and in this I've got 10 questions from SheClicks members and I would like you to answer six of them. So start by asking you to pick a number from one to 10, please. 

Kim Grant Guest 32:55

We'll go with 6, please.

Angela Nicholson Host 32:46

Okay, so what is the most challenging or crazy thing you've ever done to get a photo? And would you do it again? That question is by Liz.

Kim Grant Guest 32:54

Gosh, I find these questions so difficult when you're trying to rack through your brain. 

33:01

Okay, this is still an ongoing thing, but a few years ago I started this challenge for myself, where I was going to travel around Scotland and photograph every lighthouse in the country. 

33:10

So I've only got about a fifth of the way through that project right now. but that to me because there are some lighthouses in Scotland that are incredibly remote And although I've not managed to get to the incredibly remote ones now, there have been a few that I've hiked quite far to get to and that I've done quite a bit of travelling to other parts of the country to get to and been out in all sorts of weathers as well. So I think that's probably the one for me because I don't, to be fair, now leave my local area all that much so to be able to kind of travel around and find these, these lighthouses, and go out at crazy times a day as well, like going out at night and getting them flashing and stuff. That's probably maybe the most challenging or crazy thing I've done for photography which, to be fair, compared to a lot of people, probably isn't that crazy, but um, yeah, I think there's gonna be a lot more crazy adventures to come when I do pick up this project again. 

Angela Nicholson Host 34:03

Okay, so I need another number

Kim Grant Guest

Number two, please. 

Angela Nicholson Host

Okay, this is from Phil. what's still on your to achieve list? 

Kim Grant Guest 34:13

We could say the lighthouse photography challenge again or venture um, but I'd love to see this shift in the photography world more towards the well-being. I think it's just beginning and I think for me in my photography journey I want to, you know, keep improving in my photography, but I also want the chance to just give people that deeper meaning. So in the future I think it's going to be things like running retreats and stuff like that, with photography the centre of it all. So for me it's going to be about the experience, um, what I kind of want to achieve, maybe not personal goals, but the experience of what I can give other people and that connection. So yes, Interesting. 

Angela Nicholson Host 34:51

Okay, so another number, please, 

Kim Grant Guest

Three. 

Angela Nicholson Host

Okay. So this is from Caroline. If you can only choose one camera and lens combination for a trip, what would it be? 

Kim Grant Guest 35:02

For me it would be the Nikon Z7 II, and if I can only take one lens with me, it would be the 24 to 200 millimeter because it can yeah, so many different focal points you can get with that lens. So, yes, that would be my, my go-to. 

Angela Nicholson Host 35:17

Okay, so we need another number, please. 

Kim Grant Guest

Ten

Angela Nicholson Host

Ten, okay. Uh, many landscape photographers talk about not shooting in bright, sunny days. What's your take on this and how would you approach creating a seascape in those conditions? That's from Sarah.

Kim Grant Guest 35:32

So I quite often advocate on my channel that you can get good photographs in any weather conditions. It's just about the subject that you choose to photograph. So if you're out on bright, sunny weather middle of the day, you're you know you're unlikely to get really nice light. But for a seascape photograph I'd probably be looking at doing black and white photography, maybe sticking some ND filters in, getting some long exposures, doing it black and white and or rather than doing a whole seascape, if you've got nice shimmering light on the water, if you're able to get on some rocks or something and look down on it, you can get some incredible abstract images of shapes and the light moving through the water. 

36:13

So it might not be your stereotypical landscape seascape photograph, but there's so much abstract, smaller details in seascapes as well that you can definitely explore on a bright, sunny day. So I'd say to people especially who are really busy, not everybody can get out for sunrise or sunset, but don't let that stop you getting out with your camera. And if it's a bright, sunny day, yes, you're not going to get incredible light, but there's always opportunities. So, black and white or look at the abstracts. 

Angela Nicholson Host 36:41

That's great. You actually put some images into my head while you're explaining what you do, so thank you for that. Okay, another number please

Kim Grant Guest

Eight. 

Angela Nicholson Host

Number eight is from Carmen. How do you find new locations? What's your research process? 

Kim Grant Guest 36:57

New locations can be challenging. 

I don't personally do a lot of research. 

37:01

I used to, like I used to go to a lot of the iconic locations and look for the vantage points of the photographers we're photographing from and stuff like that. 

37:09

But now I tend to go to a lot more locations that aren't well known and for me I don't do much research other than where to park the car and what might be available there. I tend to get on location and walk around for about half an hour an hour before I'll even take out my camera just to assess what's there, what opportunities there may be, what the light's doing, and then I just respond. I find if I've got too rigid a plan and I've done too much planning for a shoot, that I'm more likely to be disappointed because things maybe haven't turned out as I'd hoped they would, whereas I just turn up on a location and see what unfolds, I just find that I photograph things I wouldn't otherwise have photographed and I find really interesting opportunities. So yeah, for me I'm much more of a let's just turn up on location and see what we can find kind of photographer than than planning. 

So yeah, that's kind of how I personally do my photography and expeditions. 

Angela Nicholson Host 38:02

Okay, so the last number please for your last question? 

Kim Grant Guest

Seven.

Angela Nicholson Host

What do you do if your photo mojo has not turned up for work? 

Kim Grant Guest 38:16

Oh, it's so hard when there's some days where you just you really struggle to get anything. Um, sometimes I will just walk around and just see what I can find. But yeah, there are there some days where you just you can't like, for some reason, you just don't want to get your camera out. And yeah, again, in the past I used to really beat myself up about that. But sometimes now I go out to do photography or to film a video and if I'm not feeling it, I'll just go for a walk and come home again and then be like, okay, today's not the day, I'll try again tomorrow. There's always like I'll try again tomorrow. You know, I might just sit down for a few minutes and just close my eyes and just try and kind of I don't know recenter myself and see if I can overcome the slump and get going again. And if I can, because whatever reason that day, then I will often just go for a walk and enjoy that time in nature. But yeah, always be like I'll try again whenever I'm next free to try again. So, yeah, yeah, I think it's all for me, it's all about the experience as well as the end results. 

39:19

So I think, listening to how you feel on that day. Sometimes you know, like with anything in life, sometimes you don't want to do something and you try and force yourself to do it. Then the creative aspect of photography can be really hard to do is like if somebody's writing a book, if they force themselves to write it, it's not going to be their best piece of work, but when they write it, when they're in creative flow, then then the words just come flowing. So yeah, I also do people. Listen to how you're feeling that day. If you're not in it, you're not in it, but try and just see what happens. But yeah, listen to, listen to your body.

Angela Nicholson Host 39:48

I watched a video of yours the other day quite a recent one, where you went out with the new Nikon macro 105 and you know you were photographing, saying, the light's not where I really would want it to be, and I haven't brought my mini tripod, but I'm just going to take some shots and I think, personally, what works for me sometimes is just to actually take a shot. You know, just take that first shot. It's not going to be the best composed, it's not going to be really thought about, but you sort of take it okay. Well, I could make that a bit better, and sort of that pulls me in. I start kind of trying to take more photographs and it does develop. You don't necessarily get your best work at the end of the day, but at least you've got a few shots and you can have a look at them and ponder them later. 

Kim Grant Guest 40:36

Yeah, that's very true. That video's a good example actually, because I didn't think any of the photographs I'd taken that day I'd want to keep, but I actually really liked three of them in the end. And it was a surprise when I got home because I was like, oh, this photo shoot hasn't gone to plan. But I got home, edited my images a few days later and I was like, wow, do you know what? these aren't my best photographs, but I actually got something from that afternoon that I didn't think I was going to get anything from. And yeah, sometimes you just if you just like you say, just do it, just take photographs even if you're not feeling in it sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised when you come to looking at them later and you'll be like, oh, do you know what? That day wasn't a waste after all, I actually got something, and then you learn something from it as well, which is it's always a bonus.

Angela Nicholson Host 41:19

Well, Kim, it's been absolutely wonderful hearing from you today. 

Thank you so much for joining us on this podcast. 

Kim Grant Guest 41:24

You're very welcome. 

Angela Nicholson Host 41:28

Thanks for listening to the SheClicks Women in Photography podcast. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll put links to Kim's social media channels and website in the show notes so you can keep up to date with her. 

I'll be back with another episode soon, so please subscribe to the show on your favourite podcast platform and tell all your friends and followers about it. You'll also find SheClicks on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube if you search for SheClicksnet. 

So until next time, enjoy your photography.