Monochrome

The one archetypical unique media associated with photography. There is something very powerful about the 'black & white' image. I think its the lack of colour distraction that leads the eye into focussing on the composition and the tonal range, giving the images a simplicity and a directness.

The project involves trying to simplify the compositions further, as I, like many photographers, have a tendency to try and include everything in the frame. This makes the image too busy, which becomes very obvious in a black & white photograph. Simplification also focuses the eye on composition, which has been a weakness of mine. I still struggle to 'see' a pleasing composition, so working with a monochrome screen at the back of the camera helps a lot.

 

Sprites

A series of images taken during Storm Ophelia. The power and drama of the ocean captured as these water sprites played and danced in the wind, the constructions of men just a backdrop to their wild games. Conditions were very challenging, the wind requiring short shutter speeds to make sharp images and the salt spray continually coating camera and lenses

I'm working on prints of some of these images now, trying to capture the power of nature and enclose it in two dimensions. Printing in itself is a skill, inks, paper, printer are all variations to be considered. I'll blog on my printing experiences too!