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West Berks photographer’s debut exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries




Compton photographer William Buist has had his work selected for a prestigious London show - quite an achievement for your first exhibition.

William Buist, Silent Sea
William Buist, Silent Sea

Photographic holiday tour company Light & Land, is presenting a breathtaking exhibition of photography this week, encompassing all aspects of outdoor photography, from traditional landscapes to architecture and street, from wildlife to documentary, and much more at London’s Mall Galleries from today (Tuesday, September 3) to Thursday. It was opened by Charlie Waite, the landscape photographer and Ray Mears of TV bush craft fame and also a photographer.

William Buist at the exhibition opening
William Buist at the exhibition opening

Outdoor photography is a broad church, which has provided all our photographers with an opportunity to share with the wider world their particular response to the world around them.

This exhibition showcases a wide variety of styles and approaches and offers fascinating glimpses into the world of today’s outdoor photography, with numerous styles, techniques and subject matters being presented.

William Buist "Close to the land! captures the spirit of my photography"
William Buist "Close to the land! captures the spirit of my photography"

William moved to the area a few years ago but has been developing his photographic skills over the last two decades.

“This is my first exhibition, and I am sure some fabulous photographers will also participate,” he told @newburytoday before the show.

He is exhibiting five photos which you can see on his website https://photography.williambuist.com/

The biggest is printed to be framed to more than 1m long, which makes it stand out.

In the mid-1990s, William travelled to Paris and made an image of the Abbesses Metro station entrance.

“Once printed, that image took my breath away, and at that moment, I knew that I wanted to pursue photography. In the early 2000s, I also started thinking about Mastery, the journey individuals who strive to be the best take in any calling. That was the subject of my 2023 book Intentional Mastery (not about photography, but aimed at small business owners).

“One aspect of Mastery is that individuals develop their own style, a unique way of seeing the world and acting within it.

William Buist, Tread Lightly
William Buist, Tread Lightly

“As I developed my style, I honed in on the beauty of the planet, its landscapes, and fresh and saltwater views. You will only sometimes see people in my work, although they may appear in the distance or have turned away from the lens. The precious planet on which we live has so much beauty and yet us humans have done so much to damage it. I believe that as we make our way through our lives we should strive to tread lightly, to protect and enhance the beauty, One way to do that, for me, is to share these images that capture a moment, while creating an enduring sense of wonder.

“I aim to share not just an image, but a sense of place, of wonder, and some sense of the feelings and the grace of our world.

”Part of this journey was recognising that taking the image is only the start; there's work to do afterwards to make the image work as a printed work. A couple of years ago, I invested in a large format printer and had to learn a whole new skill set to understand the machine and its capabilities. The possibilities have enthralled me. I also invested in learning from established masters like Charlie Waite who is based in Dorset but whose skills span several decades.

“It's been quite a journey, and there's a lot more still to learn. I've worked closely with Chaucers, a local framer based in Moulsford whose fabulous talent has also helped present these images at their best.”



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