CATALAN CONTRAST

I've just returned from a fleeting visit to Spain. Or more specifically, Catalunya. A region in the far north-east of the country just south of the Pyrenees. 

The main premise for the trip was to spend time with some dear friends who were getting married after many a year of cohabitation and making babies. Also to act as an official witness. I was there for a mere two days but it's amazing how much you can squeeze in when you know time is at a premium.

There are certain parts of the Spanish coast which, frankly, leave me slightly ashamed of being English. You probably know what I'm talking about. Nuff said. Catalunya is different. It is a special place. It has been attracting artists for a long time due to the nature of the landscape and the particular quality of light. Salvador Dalí lived and worked there, and many others such as Picasso, Tàpies and Miró to name but a few spent considerable time working in the area.

Having seen it first hand I can say there is something about the light. It's subtle; it doesn't smack you in the face, but it's as though there is a clarity to the air which allows the sun to penetrate deeply whatever it shines on, rendering colours more vividly and with more contrast than I am used to seeing. I'm sure there are other places in the world where this is also the case, but perhaps not many so close to home and it was a treat for me.

I photographed many different things, but for a while I got caught up in simply looking for Light and Shadow. Contrast. Silhouette. Detail. 

There may be future posts from this trip. But for now this. Just this. Enjoy.

SHOT WITH THE FUJI X-T1 AND XF 35MM F1.4 R

TURNING POINT..

I would like to say that there comes a point on the trajectory of every photographers life and career path where, unplanned of course, they take a picture which is pivotal. A frame where everything comes together through a sprinkling of unicorn tears and leprechaun eyelashes and it's just 'Yes!' 'Wow!' 'Damn look at that!'.

But I can't speak for everyone. Whilst I suspect most photographers will have a shot which might be described as the first 'One', I have no true idea to what extent this is the case.

For me however, this really did happen. 8 years ago, a scant three weeks after my second son was born.

After many years of kind've thinking somewhere in the back of my mind I might like to explore taking photographs more seriously, I finally bought my first digital camera. A little Canon Ixus 750. I was attracted to it because not only was it decent quality; it was tiny. It could slip into any pocket or bag and be the camera you always have with you. A concept which was immediately appealing. 

So I began. I started taking pictures of all sorts of things but primarily of course, my new born son, my partner and the environment we were living in. It was fun. At the time we lived in a converted barn pretty much in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by fields and a good ten minute walk to the nearest proper road.

One morning I was out by myself walking the dog in the fields. She stopped with the sun behind her and I saw there was a spiders web directly between me and her, backlit by the sun. The camera was in my hand, I grabbed focus and bang. I caught this..

2006 036.jpg

..Moments later she moved on and if I'd been any slower it wouldn't have happened.

I didn't realise what I had, or its significance until much later when I got a chance to get the days photos on to the computer and have a real look through. When I found this, I uttered words to the effect of "Woo Hoo!! Look, look, look," to anyone who would, well, look. I thought, 'I can do this'. Really cool pictures are achievable. 

There is no formula. If Only. But there is a magic that can happen when various elements conspire. Composition, light, shadow, exposure, focus, depth of field. All these and sometimes more play an essential role in dictating whether a photograph works or not. Is great or not.

Ever since I nailed this picture I've been striving to lift my game and get the most out of whatever it may be that I'm shooting. This is the image that taught me about the transience of photographic opportunity. Of the myriad variables, and how timing can be crucially important - the difference between an OK shot and something wonderful. Half a second can make all the difference. A splash of light in just the right place. A five degree shift in angle. All these and more can be the thing that swings it.

There is no end point in the learning process. As long as we keep on shooting we cannot stop improving, which is brilliant when you stop and think about it. But an understanding of the above points goes a long way towards keeping us sharp and hungry. Always chasing that next frame of juicy satisfaction. To be the best that we can be.

This is part of what makes me tick as a photographer so I wanted to share.

Back with more soon..

B

HERE BEGINETH THE BLOG...

This will be a platform for sharing from my life in general. It is a repository for my personal work, projects, thoughts, feelings, experiences, vignettes, stories etc.. 

Deciding what content to include on a photography website is no easy task. It is the 'face' of your business, and as such ought to be curated with care. But unless you're a photographer who really only specialises in one type of work, it can be difficult to know where to draw your lines. What to show, what not to show. How to present things in a way which will provide clarity and ensure your prospective clients understand what you have to offer and what you don't. To this end, with the other pages here I have tried show a clear cross section of the kind of work I am currently producing and able to offer across various commissioned environments. This is work. This is business. This is bread and butter. I care about any and all images I put my name to. Ask anyone who knows me well and they will testify to the fact that I am an incorrigible perfectionist. It's one of my greatest strengths/weaknesses. But...

That is really only a part of who I am as a person and a photographer.

My personal work can take many other random forms. I am interested in creating imagery out of anything. I take pleasure in seeking joy and beauty in the mundane, the everyday details of life we see all around us at all times, making a pleasing photograph out of ordinary subject matter. 

....Watch this space for further posts and all things personal from the world outside the box.

SHOT WITH A MIXTURE OF NIKON, FUJI AND CANON CAMERAS