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Benjamin Williamson
I hope these images bring you a sense of the deep connection that I’ve felt when making them. That’s my number one goal when I’m out with my camera. I want to be totally connected with what is in front of me. When I’m in the zone, I don’t know where I end, and the world around me begins. There is no ‘me’, only ‘we’. When I’m successful at this, I think you will feel it when you view my work.
What do I connect with? What excites me?
The first thing that comes to mind is standing in awe and wonder at nature and natural phenomena — especially dramatic weather. I’m also fascinated by how human beings fit into the natural world in symbiotic, beautiful, and ingenious ways. I love showcasing the places and spaces that bring us close to nature and close to each other.
My obsession with photography started in 2012 while working nights tending bar at the Sea Dog in Topsham, Maine. At first I simply wanted to capture the beauty I was coming across on hikes and walks near home. I quickly discovered that a photograph could be more than just a document. It was like putting down my experiences in a visual diary, capturing thoughts and feelings I was having about whatever was in front of me. Like my other love, music, it could be a creative and expressive act.
I began sharing my photos with friends and customers at the bar, and eventually on social media. Likes and comments turned into requests for prints and businesses wanting to license images for commercial use. Within two years of picking up a camera, this hobby evolved into a full-time profession. Fast forward to today and my intention, and approach remains much the same. This is my visual diary. I want to show the things that are important to me. I want to share the awe and sense of deep connection I feel to the beauty that abounds all around us. A decade after picking up a camera, my passion for photography has never been stronger.
I live in Bath, Maine with my wife, three small children, a dog and a cat. My greatest pleasure is to share the joy and love of photography with others. To that end, I spend most of my energy leading photography workshops across Maine, from the Allagash to Monhegan Island, as well as locations further afield such as Olympic National Park and the Utah desert. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be doing this for a living.
From 2016 to 2022, I was the photo editor, staff photographer, and adventure leader for Down East Magazine.
Prints of my work can be seen in major institutions such as Maine Medical Center, Intermed, Bangor Savings Bank, and many others.