Eight Photos That Show Yorkshire in all its Beauty
Hobbyist photographer Miko Kielczewski has been capturing Yorkshire in all its beauty – from landscapes to cityscapes – and as he shows, there really is nowhere quite like Yorkshire
Although building a following on Instagram, Miko admits he still has lots to learn. ‘It’s very important, as I’m still learning, to practice – so at least once a week I try to photograph somewhere new. Sometimes it’ll be a sunrise over the sea, sometimes a sunset in the Peak District and other times it’s wherever I want to spend time shooting,’ he says. However, Miko’s pictures speak for themselves as he captures Yorkshire’s natural and manmade beauty in all its glory.
‘I generally like landscape photography, but I also like taking pictures of beautiful British architecture and cities, as well as sunrises and sunsets. I can say that my style of photography is very universal at the moment and I don’t think that will change because beauty is everywhere, you just need to show it well.’ Unlike many other photographers who research their space, plan out their shots and visualise how their images will come out, Miko embraces the moment. ‘American photographer Diane Arbus once said, “I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them,” and I think this is so true. I believe that beauty is everywhere, and sometimes it’s enough to be in the right place at the right time and to take an amazing photo. I try not to plan photos, I like the surprise.’
Since taking up photography, Miko has found the uncertainty and excitement to be his favourite part of the process. ‘The silence in the morning before a sunrise is amazing. I can sit on the beach and admire the wonderful colours of the sky waiting for the sun to appear on the horizon. When I’m driving in the car and I wonder what the clouds will be today or whether the sun will be seen at all. This excitement and uncertainty is great. I also love the landscapes. Imagine golden hour beginning and you’re sitting on the top of some hill, and before you there’s a wonderful view of the whole valley where the play of light and shadows begins. Clouds flow, and shadows follow through the valley. It’s wonderful, and I can sit for hours and photograph it, because the same landscape changes every minute.’
At the moment Miko plans on continuing to grow his knowledge and develop his photography skills. ‘Photography is not only a hobby for me, despite the fact that I’m still a beginner, I can say that it’s my lifestyle. Maybe in a year or two I’ll make a calendar with my photos, but I’m not thinking too much about that yet. Every comment and share [on Instagram] makes me want to be even better, because I’m a photographer for love – it’s fuel for me to be better.’
Photography hasn’t always come naturally to Miko – at the beginning it was a difficult process. ‘Most people take photos with a smartphone where software gives us a ready, beautiful and colourful photo. When I bought my camera I was thinking “why did I buy this, everything is dark, grey?” You can’t give up though and I needed to learn and understand the camera’s settings,’ he explains. ‘If you feel photography is for you, it’s really worth going through this difficult beginning, because in time you will only get better. The most important thing to remember though is light. Light makes a seemingly boring place look amazing and I think the most interesting photos are taken in the morning or in the evening, when the light has a beautiful colour and the angle is just right.’
