I am not a typical ‘beach person’. I fry in the sun and get easily bored just lying around. And having taken the trouble to fly to a foreign country, I want to see and experience the culture that makes it unique, not spend time in an environment that differs only a little from place to place. And yet, I love the sea!
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Photography is nothing without light, of course. And light plays a crucial part in creating shadows and silhouettes. Shoot into bright light to silhouette your subject against it, or let the light fall directly on your subject to cast a shadow.
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Who can look at a boat floating on the water and not feel at least a small sense of adventure? The chance to leave the land behind and explore, the promise of an escape from the routine of everyday life, the drama of the open sea or the gentle rocking of a boat on calmer inland waters.
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Kahlil Gabran’s likening of trees to poems 'that the earth writes upon the sky' is often quoted, I know. And yes, the branches of trees, their twigs and leaves, do seem a little like writing against the sky. But there is more to this poem.
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It’s widely recognised that elephants mourn their dead, but what about other animals? It’s rather easy to fall into the trap of anthropomorphising, attributing our feelings and behaviours to them. Yet there are examples of what appear to be very human-like emotions, and we were once privileged to witness one.
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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.
