Sculpture a subject I’m drawn to a lot. I like both the sculptures themselves and the challenge of photographing them in a way that doesn’t merely record the work of the artist but also attempts to put my own stamp on it in some way.
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Let’s have a few days by the sea this summer, we said. Let’s enjoy walks on the beach and cliffs, ice creams in the sunshine, maybe even paddle in the sea! But of course the British weather had other ideas. So while we did enjoy our few days away this week, and did indeed go for walks and eat ice cream, sunshine was in very short supply.
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If like me you live in the Northern Hemisphere, there’s something magical in discovering the world of the Southern. Africa in particular seems to draw us to explore, with its vast plains and forests, still-wild spaces, fascinating animals and very different cultures. Maybe too there’s a lingering romantic sense of the continent as an unknown frontier to be opened up, despite the somewhat negative associations attached to our historic explorations there.
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Some people are passionate that black and white is the only true medium for photography, others that a photo without colour is lacking in something. I’m inclined to take a middle stance, as I believe that both have their merits, depending on a number of factors. Subject matter of course, but also time of day, lighting, composition and, perhaps most important, what story you want to tell.
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The appeal of black and white portraiture lies in the way it simplifies the image. Without the distraction of colours, the focus shifts more to the subject’s face and expression. The eyes in particular seem to stand out more, and consequently as a viewer you often feel more connected to the person.
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There was a time when most photos weren’t black and white but sepia. And today if we want to give our images that ‘antique’ look, sepia is the way to go.
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Usually I like to choose a theme for my black and white galleries. Maybe a particular country, or a subject such as flowers or buildings. But sometimes it’s fun to mix it up a bit with an assortment of rather different shots.
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There’s something about both windows and doors that draws many photographers to capture them, isn’t there? Maybe it’s the intrigue of not knowing what lies within. Or perhaps it’s simply that their geometry is pleasing to the eye.
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If you cannot see a feeling, how can you photograph it? The answer is, by proxy. You photograph something that will evoke that feeling in the viewer, and/or you photograph a person evidently displaying that feeling.
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It would be unusual if we weren’t motivated to pick our camera when we see a beautiful flower, an awe-inspiring landscape, an attractive or characterful person, an elegant building. But it would be a shame to restrict our photography only to those more obvious subjects. We can also look for the photogenic in everyday objects, looking at them with fresh eyes to appreciate their forms and textures.
