Then and Now

I sometimes find it interesting to look at my work taken 4 years ago and put it next to the work that I am producing now. I can remember what my passions were then, how they helped me take the photographs, and how they help me now. The first thing that I notice is that the underlying passion is the same. That part doesn't seem to change. What strikes me is how different the work is - and it happened without me even realising it. The style just morphed bit by bit. There wasn't a giant leap from one type of photo to another - it was an accumulation of hundreds of tweaks and thoughts and wild ideas. And so long as the passion was still there and the photos gave me that buzz then I went with it.

One way that helps me understand what is happening is to realise that my work 4 years ago was fresh with influence from many other photographers - all tugging and pulling me in different directions - creating a nice, but common style that didn't require too much searching as it had all been done before. I imagine that at this point I was standing at the mouth of a metaphoric cave - the light from other photographers showing me the way. But then to tenderly step into the cave - with your own dim light showing you the way and not knowing what is ahead - with no other point of reference - the fading light of the outside behind you. The deeper you go the less light you get from outside - and the more you rely on your own light to choose what to do.

Maybe it is a bit odd to think this way but it helps me explain the differences between these two images -

                                                                          Mwnt,  2007

                                                                  Cwmpengraig, 2010

Three sessions at Poppit

Some great weather and tides at Poppit for the last three days - and a couple more to come. Some writing done for Photography Monthly and back in the darkroom for a session of experimentation.

Sharp or not?

I find it amazing how distracting sharpness can be sometimes - and how wonderful and exciting it can be at other times. I can't really explain what type of short requires it - because as soon as I make up some kind of rule about it I see a wonderful photo that breaks that rule. So once again I come to the conclusion that it is best to ignore all rules and trust in gut feeling and luck. I think that there is something other than the obvious that makes a photograph 'special'. And I think it is a waste of time trying to discover that thing and bottle it up to use whenever you need it. It cannot be called upon - it just seems to happen.

Anyway, this shot has something about it - but if you listed its features - such as wonky, out of focus, blurred etc etc then it would be a disaster. Something holds it together (just). Maybe that is what I like about it - it is on the edge of being a real mess - but something is stopping it. Could it be the invisible 'something' that the photographer brings to it?

A step towards something new

I find the whole process of discovery and moving forward with photography a slow but steady one. The important thing for me is to not stop for too long and to always trust in the gut feeling - no matter how unusual the results are.

If it gives me that tingle then I will explore it with everything that I have. Sometimes it leads to dead ends and wasted days/months - but if you filter out the nearly-made-it shots you can mould together a series that is original and solid.

Sunshine Tree

More darkroom time.

I have been locked away now for quite a while running tests and trying to get prints that I am happy with. The whole process is exciting and yet frustrating. I find that I work best when I make my own mistakes and never give in. It will be a late night tonight.