Behind the Lens - Tamzin Merivale

I invite you to meet, Tamzin Merivale, one of our wonderful and amazing community members whose work serves as a continuous source of inspiration for me, and I'm confident it will inspire you too.

Welcome to another issue of Behind the Lens, a series that shines the spotlight on the talented artists of our Nordic Lens community. This series delves into the work and perspectives of one member at a time, offering a unique glimpse into the diversity of our community.

In contrast to traditional interview formats, Behind the Lens empowers artists to showcase their creativity and share the stories behind their favorite photographs.

After all, who better to narrate the tale than the person behind the lens?

What is Behind the Lens?

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At the heart of Behind the Lens is a simple concept: Community members share their favorite photos and provide insights into why these images hold special meaning.

This opportunity allows us to explore the depth and richness of our community through the lens of its creators.

Those featured in the series have the freedom to choose works that resonate deeply, whether they're recent creations, all-time favorites, personal or professional, or a combination of all four. This flexibility ensures a genuine representation of each artist's journey and evolution within the community and beyond.

There are limitations to it, however—they must do it in 5 photos or less. This adds a personal, authentic, and intriguing touch. It compels them to choose and encourages them to be as mindful as possible about their favorite photos.

Behind the Lens is not your average interview series as it is consciously kept as personal as possible to preserve authenticity, the focus is solely on the photographers and their photos.

This fosters a more personal connection between the community and its members, allowing us to appreciate the richness of talent within Nordic Lens.

By offering a platform for members to share their favorite photos and personal insights behind them, Behind the Lens aims to inspire, connect, and deepen appreciation for the community's exceptional pool of talent.

Unlike the bi-weekly photo challenges that highlight the best submissions, Behind the Lens celebrates the authenticity of individual expression.

Our feature for this week is Tamzin Merivale, whose work embodies the self discovery and creativity that we strive to capture.

So let's welcome Tamzin and have her introduce us to her favorite photos.

Tamzin

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I’m an intuitive artist, writer and creative mentor. In creating my unique Soul Sign Energy Portraits, I guide my clients through an immersive experience to unearth their powerful selves, their incomparable light, their impact and their strength.

My writing gives readers tools and insights to release their struggles and live a life that feels expansive, free and aligned.

My mission is to hold space for greater empathy and understanding through connection and story-telling, as these are the true enemies of prejudice, judgment and discrimination.

When faced with the daunting task of choosing only five photos to submit for this, I decided that I should stick to one theme, or risk being overwhelmed by far too much choice and indecision!

I wondered if I should use my best travel photos, for example, from some stunning locations that have since been forever altered by war, or if I should use photos of some of the women I've worked with and describe how much they inspired me, but in the end, I selected self-portraits from over the last four years -- far from my best photos, and mostly taken before I took photography seriously.

Though I'm cringing quite a lot submitting these and my inner critic is telling me that they're not up-to-scratch, I feel that these self-portraits tell the story of how I evolved as an artist and as a person, without showing the artwork itself, which I thought everyone might find interesting...

Find Tamzin on:

You can find out more about Tamzin on her Website or follow her on Instagram. Tamzin also offer Soul Portraits, which you can learn more about here.

Tamzin’s Favorite Photos

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A funny thing happens to artists, or anyone creative, when they take some time to look back over old creations -- they begin to see a very clear thread that ties ALL of their work together.

I took this photo in 2020, and I thought at the time that I was returning to self-portraiture as a form of play (I had loved taking self-portraits as a teen) and nothing more.

I was combining my artwork (drawing squiggly lines) with a desire to express myself a little more literally through photography. Now, looking back, I see that these images were the beginning of the work I do today -- mixing photography and art together to depict someone's energy and accompany them on a healing journey through their story.

Though I didn't know it at the time, the lines I drew on my face were an attempt to communicate the turbulent energy and emotion I was experiencing, after a year of major upheavals.

I'm obsessed with the sea, and I always find myself most inspired when I'm by the coast, so it features heavily in my photos.

However, when I took this, I couldn't get to the sea due to the various lockdowns, and I found myself looking for ways to be creative in mundane moments (this instance, in the bath) while we were mostly stuck in one place.

Seaweed, a bath, and a seemingly 'dull' moment, yet one that was loaded with grief.

Skip forwards to 2021!

A few months before I took this photo, I was released from a long-stay in hospital. As a much-needed breather to recover, I went alone to an island in Croatia and stared at the sea for two weeks, where I found myself again engaging with photography as play.

Being on my own, I could spend hours on the beach, especially around sunrise or sunset, awkwardly placing my camera on the stones and setting the timer to shoot. Taking these photos was a celebration of my recovery, it was fun and without an agenda.

I had no idea at the time that this moment to myself would lead to new ideas which would alter my entire career, or that these photos would prompt a new collection of artwork.

I'm not sure if I should even include this one!

Again, I was simply playing. I wanted to capture the movement and energy of the tide coming in, and how deliciously warm it felt around my toes and hands, especially at dusk as the air was getting cooler.

I set the timer and held my camera between my knees, hoping it wouldn't drop onto the wet stones and smash the lens!

Again, we skip forwards in time.

After completing the first few Soul Sign Portraits with clients, a few people suggested that I do my own.

I've yet to do a proper one, but I did take this photo of myself in a moment of true contentment and satisfaction, thanks to the previous few months spent with those clients, holding space for their energy.

After a long journey, I had finally found something which was truly fulfilling. I added the lines later to communicate that sense of flow and deep connection -- to myself, to others, to my own journey.

Thank You Tamzin!

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Tamzin’s approach is personal, genuine, and full of self discovery. I stand in awe of this approach as I find it inspiring. Soul portraits are not new, but Tamzin does it in a way I’ve not seen before and I am loving everything about it.

Truly stunning.

Behind the Lens aims to showcase the authenticity of Nordic Lens members, whether it's through unfiltered photos, professionally edited works, or nostalgic memories and Tamzin nails every single bit of it and more.

I want to provide a platform for community members to express themselves honestly, personally, or professionally, revealing what makes them tick.

I am incredibly grateful to Tamzin for accepting my invitation and for continuing this series so inspirationally.

Her work is truly inspirational and beautiful, and I can't wait to explore the creativity of more Nordic Lens members through Behind the Lens.

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Don't forget to subscribe to Tamzin’s publication, Resurface, and be sure to give her a follow on Instagram and visit her website to learn more about her.

If you’re interested in a soul portrait, which I highly recommend, you can learn more about it here.

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The next issue of Behind the Lens will be published on April 21. To find out who the next person is, you'll have to wait and see.