An Existential and Pedagogical Exploration
"Photography in the 21st century has become more than a technical practice; it is increasingly understood as a philosophical and psychological tool for reflection, learning, and meaning-making. Within this dynamic field, South African photographer and educator Vernon Chalmers has distinguished himself as a practitioner who merges technical excellence with existential philosophy. His work extends beyond capturing images to include teaching, writing, and developing photography as both an art form and a therapeutic practice.
This paper offers a comprehensive exploration of Vernon Chalmers’s photographic philosophy, practice, and pedagogy. It situates his work within broader existential thought, logotherapy, and adult learning theory, while also grounding the discussion in the technical and artistic aspects of his photography. Drawing on primary sources such as Chalmers’s website, blog, and training materials, as well as secondary literature in philosophy, psychology, and photographic education, this essay presents a multifaceted account of his contribution to photography.
Biographical Foundations and PracticeVernon Chalmers founded Vernon Chalmers Photography in Milnerton, Cape Town, in 2013, establishing an educational platform for photographers across South Africa and abroad (Vernon Chalmers Photography, 2022). His practice encompasses bird photography, landscapes, macro work, and long-exposure techniques, often centered around iconic Cape Town locations such as Intaka Island, Woodbridge Island, Milnerton Lagoon, and Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.
Chalmers’s photographic career is marked not only by personal artistic production but also by a commitment to training others in Canon and mirrorless camera systems. His emphasis on birds-in-flight photography has become particularly notable, with many of his workshops dedicated to teaching autofocus tracking, exposure control, and motion capture (Vernon Chalmers Photography, 2023).
While his technical expertise anchors his professional profile, it is his philosophical and pedagogical orientation that distinguishes him from many other photographers. Chalmers integrates existential psychology, especially Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, into his photography and teaching, positioning the camera as a medium for meaning and reflection (Chalmers, 2022a).
Artistic Philosophy: Existential PhotographyChalmers’s work is frequently described as existential photography, a term that aligns his practice with themes of solitude, temporality, and authenticity. Existentialism, as developed by philosophers such as Kierkegaard (1849/1983), Heidegger (1927/1962), and Sartre (1943/1992), emphasizes the individual’s confrontation with freedom, responsibility, and the fleeting nature of existence.
In Chalmers’s images, particularly of solitary birds in expansive skies or still waters, one finds visual metaphors for existential solitude. The Cape teal floating in a lagoon or the grey heron perched against a stark horizon evokes Heidegger’s notion of being-towards-death, where human existence is always shadowed by impermanence (Heidegger, 1962). Similarly, Sartre’s emphasis on freedom and authenticity resonates in Chalmers’s minimalist compositions, which invite the viewer to project their own meaning onto the scene (Sartre, 1992).
Chalmers himself acknowledges photography as an existential practice of presence and reflection. In his writing, he suggests that “understanding and chasing the light is more valuable than any camera in hand” (Chalmers, 2022b, para. 4). This statement not only emphasizes the phenomenological importance of light but also reflects Kierkegaard’s (1983) insistence on authenticity—the prioritization of genuine experience over superficial appearances.
Vernon Chalmers’ Visual Interpretation of Existential Photography
Although Chalmers’s philosophy elevates his work, his photography remains deeply grounded in technical precision. He is a long-time user of the Canon ecosystem, including EOS DSLRs, mirrorless bodies, and a wide array of EF and RF lenses (Chalmers, 2022a). His technical guides emphasize aperture, shutter speed, ISO management, autofocus modes, and exposure compensation, particularly in the demanding context of birds in flight.
For example, capturing a swift tern diving into the ocean requires not only artistic vision but also mastery of AI Servo autofocus, high shutter speeds, and continuous burst modes. Chalmers’s training materials often highlight the interdependence of technical and creative choices, noting that technical proficiency creates the freedom to explore deeper existential narratives (Chalmers, 2023).
The Canon system becomes, in his teaching, a tool for bridging craft and philosophy. This reflects Barthes’s (1981) claim in Camera Lucida that photography is simultaneously a mechanical and emotional act, balancing technical control with subjective meaning.
Pedagogical Approach to Photography TrainingChalmers is widely respected as an educator. His workshops, mentorship programs, and one-on-one sessions have trained hundreds of photographers in South Africa and abroad (Vernon Chalmers Photography, 2023). His pedagogy draws heavily on principles of adult learning (Knowles, 1980) and experiential education (Kolb, 1984).
Knowles (1980) argued that adult learners are self-directed, motivated by relevance, and bring their own experiences into learning contexts. Chalmers’s training embodies these principles by offering personalized instruction, ongoing support, and the flexibility to adapt to each student’s learning needs. He often provides after-training assistance via email or social media, ensuring that learning extends beyond the workshop (Chalmers, 2022b).
Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning cycle—comprising concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation—is also evident in Chalmers’s pedagogy. For instance, during a bird photography workshop, participants first engage in shooting exercises (concrete experience), review and discuss their results (reflective observation), learn new theoretical principles (abstract conceptualization), and then apply these in follow-up sessions (active experimentation).
This pedagogical framework not only teaches technical skills but also nurtures creative confidence and existential reflection, aligning photography education with broader theories of transformative learning (Mezirow, 1991).
Teaching, Mentorship, and Photography Training
Beyond his own photography, Vernon has made a significant impact as an educator. He has trained countless photographers across South Africa in a wide range of topics:
- Camera settings and exposure fundamentals
- Composition and creative techniques
- Bird-in-flight photography
- Low-light and night photography
- Post-processing with Adobe Lightroom
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Chalmers’s philosophy is his application of Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy to photography. Frankl (1946/2006) argued that the primary human drive is not pleasure (as Freud suggested) or power (as Adler proposed), but the pursuit of meaning. Logotherapy thus emphasizes finding purpose through creative acts, relationships, and attitudes toward unavoidable suffering.
For Chalmers, photography functions as a logotherapeutic practice. By engaging with nature, light, and fleeting moments, both the photographer and the viewer are invited into experiences of meaning. Capturing a bird in mid-flight, for example, becomes more than a technical achievement; it is a metaphor for human freedom, resilience, and the pursuit of significance (Chalmers, 2022a).
This therapeutic orientation aligns with contemporary research in photo-therapy and expressive arts therapy, which demonstrate that photography can reduce anxiety, enhance mindfulness, and provide avenues for self-expression (Weiser, 2004; Glover-Graf & Miller, 2006). Chalmers’s workshops and writings implicitly echo these findings, positioning photography not only as an art form but as a path to existential healing and self-discovery.
The Influence of Viktor Frankl on Vernon Chalmers Photography
Chalmers’s work is intimately tied to specific landscapes in and around Cape Town:
- Woodbridge Island & Milnerton Lagoon: Frequented for bird-in-flight studies, these settings offer open skies and reflective waters, ideal for minimalist compositions (Chalmers, 2022a).
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden: Provides opportunities for close-up and macro photography of flora and insects, where themes of growth and impermanence emerge (Chalmers, 2023).
- Intaka Island: Frequented for small perched birds and bird-in-flight studies, these settings offer open skies and reflective waters, ideal for minimalist compositions (Chalmers, 2022a).
- Spier Wine Farm (Stellenbosch): A site for contemplative landscape photography, where Chalmers has produced images emphasizing stillness and natural beauty (Chalmers, 2022b).
These venues are more than locations; they are existential stages upon which themes of solitude, temporality, and meaning unfold. Much like Ansel Adams’s use of Yosemite as a philosophical canvas, Chalmers’s Cape Town environments become arenas for aesthetic and reflective practice (Adams, 1985).
 |
| Reed Cormorant in Flight : Woodbridge Island, Cape Town |
Bird Photography and Nature as a Central Theme
Perhaps the most striking hallmark of Vernon Chalmers’ portfolio is his bird photography, particularly around the Milnerton Lagoon and Woodbridge Island in Cape Town. His dedication to capturing the flight, behavior, and delicate movements of birds demonstrates both patience and technical mastery.
Bird photography is one of the most demanding genres, requiring fast reflexes, long telephoto lenses, and an intimate understanding of both wildlife and photographic settings. Vernon approaches it not only as a technical challenge but as an existential experience - connecting with nature, observing patterns, and embracing the unpredictability of the natural world.
The vibrant avian life of Cape Town’s wetlands has become one of his most beloved subjects, and through his images, he encourages others to appreciate both the beauty and fragility of these ecosystems. His photography has, in this sense, ecological value as well, drawing attention to the importance of preserving habitats and biodiversity.
Chalmers’s work is also shaped by collaboration and community. His long-standing friendship with Joseph Inns, a fellow photographer and educator, exemplifies the role of dialogue and partnership in creative practice (Chalmers, 2021). His volunteer projects, such as assisting local flower sellers with advertising photography, illustrate his belief that photography can empower communities by enhancing visibility and storytelling.
Moreover, his willingness to provide extended mentoring relationships reflects an ethic of care and responsibility. This resonates with Levinas’s (1969) philosophical emphasis on the ethical demand of the Other—the idea that authentic human existence emerges in responsibility toward others.
Impact, Legacy, and Philosophical SignificanceChalmers’s photography and pedagogy occupy a unique space at the intersection of technical mastery, existential philosophy, and therapeutic practice. His integration of Frankl’s logotherapy, Heidegger’s temporality, and adult learning theory into a coherent photographic approach represents a rare fusion of art, philosophy, and education.
The impact of his work is visible in multiple domains:
- Artistic: Evocative images of birds, landscapes, and natural details that embody existential themes.
- Educational: Workshops and training programs that empower photographers at all levels.
- Therapeutic: A philosophy that frames photography as a practice of meaning-making and emotional healing.
In this sense, Vernon Chalmers exemplifies Barthes’s (1981) claim that photography is a “subversive art” capable of transforming not only vision but consciousness. His legacy lies not only in the images he has produced but in the philosophical and pedagogical pathways he has opened for others.
Vernon Chalmers Photography represents a distinctive synthesis of artistic practice, existential philosophy, technical mastery, and educational commitment. His work demonstrates that photography is not merely about capturing images but about engaging with the world as a site of meaning, reflection, and transformation.
By integrating logotherapy, existential thought, and adult learning theory into his photographic philosophy, Chalmers provides a model for how photography can function as both a creative pursuit and a therapeutic practice. His legacy is not only in his own photographs but in the generations of photographers he has mentored, the communities he has served, and the existential questions his work continues to provoke." (Source ChatGPT)
References
Adams, A. (1985). Examples: The making of 40 photographs. Little, Brown.
Barthes, R. (1981). Camera lucida: Reflections on photography (R. Howard, Trans.). Hill and Wang.
Chalmers, V. (2021). Tribute to Joseph Inns. Vernon Chalmers Photography. https://www.vernonchalmers.photography
Chalmers, V. (2022a). Photography training philosophy. Vernon Chalmers Photography. https://www.vernonchalmers.photography
Chalmers, V. (2022b). Nature and existential photography. Vernon Chalmers Photography. https://www.vernonchalmers.photography
Chalmers, V. (2023). Birds in flight photography workshops. Vernon Chalmers Photography. https://www.vernonchalmers.photography
Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning (I. Lasch, Trans.). Beacon Press. (Original work published 1946)
Glover-Graf, N. M., & Miller, E. (2006). The use of expressive techniques in counseling. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 2(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1300/J456v02n01_02
Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and time (J. Macquarrie & E. Robinson, Trans.). Harper & Row. (Original work published 1927)
Kierkegaard, S. (1983). The sickness unto death (H. V. Hong & E. H. Hong, Trans.). Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1849)
Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. Cambridge Books.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
Levinas, E. (1969). Totality and infinity: An essay on exteriority (A. Lingis, Trans.). Duquesne University Press.
Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. Jossey-Bass.
Sartre, J.-P. (1992). Being and nothingness (H. E. Barnes, Trans.). Washington Square Press. (Original work published 1943)
Vernon Chalmers Photography. (2022). About Vernon Chalmers Photography. https://www.vernonchalmers.photography
Vernon Chalmers Photography. (2023). Training workshops and mentoring. https://www.vernonchalmers.photography
Weiser, J. (2004). PhotoTherapy techniques in counseling and therapy: Using ordinary snapshots and photo-interactions to help clients heal their lives. Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 17(2), 23–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/08322473.2004.11432240