Jem Southam is a British landscape photographer whose works largely focuses around the theme of change at a certain location, sometimes over many years. His work seems to me to possess a quiet calmness with colours reminiscent of Northern European painters such as Casper Friedrich.

Hi work contains a high level of detail that allows the viewer to contemplate what may have happened; a rockfall, a strange indentation; there is a sense of the sublime but his work also invites contemplation of the changes that have occurred between depictions of the same location.

Southam is of particular interest to me because of his investigations into humankind’s relationship with the landscape, both in terms of our impact through habitation and the actions we take in the environment, but also there is a strong sense of the psychological impact the landscape has on us as people, yet he does not feature people in his work.

His work is also particularly relevant to me because he is also based in the South West, and his work is a prime example of how it is not necessary to travel far to achieve interesting, accomplished photography work.

Senneville-sur-Fecamp (2006)

Penwith Moors, Bosporthennis Common (1998)