PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERESTS |
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To skip the chat about my personal motivations and objectives below, click in the left frame on:- 'Gallery' for a selection of my images split into 7 groups. 'Digital Info' for details of imaging equipment. 'Web Sites' for favourite imaging organisations and virtual galleries, out there. ON THIS PAGE (click on heading to go to section) 1. MEDIUM 2. PICTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY 3. ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY 4. USE OF FRACTALS 5. WHERE AM I NOW, AND WHERE NEXT? 6. CREATION OF A VIRTUAL GALLERY 7. EXHIBITIONS 1. MEDIUM All my photographs are taken on 35mm colour transparencies. I have no darkroom, and use commercial photographic laboratories to make prints directly from slides. To manipulate images digitally, I scan them into a computer (see Digital info.) using a Canon 2700F slide scanner and store them as JPEG files with a resolution of approximately 3000 X 2000 pixels. These files are used to produce photographic quality inkjet prints, laser prints and slides. (top) 2. PICTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY My interest in pictorial photography never fades: I don't think pictorialism will ever be exhausted. A principal attraction of photography to me used to be in composing pictures from behind a camera rather than working in a darkroom. I used different lenses and a wide variety of filters to balance exposures as well as to produce creative effects. As many, but not all, of the filters can be emulated using digital imaging facilities I travel lighter these days. Digital imaging greatly extends the range of possible creative effects. I could name many books, but three that inspire me are:- Mountain Light by Galen Rowell, 1986 ISBN 0 7126 1582 2.And by the Japanese photographer Shinzo Maeda (do visit his excellent Web site):-A Tree, A Blade of Grass, ISBN 4-7661-0278-9,The Nippon Alps, ISBN 4-7661-0306-8
In my landscape photography I seek to portray a sense of wonder at the beauties of nature. I similarly wonder at mankind’s creative abilities, and enjoy photographing artefacts, cityscapes and recreations. In these too, I concentrate on pictorial aspects, sometimes manipulating the colours heavily in the process in order to emphasise mood. Colour induces strong and varied moods for me, just as does background music in films. Such moods are, however, frustratingly subjective which is so apparent when talking to other photographers and artists. Thus I create effects to please myself and leave the interpretation of abstracts to the viewer, I am truly fascinated by the different responses, which raise the profound question of how human values arise. (top) 3. ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY I much enjoy looking at abstract paintings (e.g. Kandinski, ISBN 0-600-35303-6)and photographs (e.g. Michael Tcherevkoff, The Image Maker ISBN 0-86287- 385-1) and enjoy producing abstract images myself. My abstracts may not be enthusiastically received by some of the more purist members of the local photographic society. That could be attributed either to my level of skill, or to their traditional outlook, i.e. preferences for traditional categories like record, nature, portrait or photo-journalism! As some of my abstracts have been accepted in FIAP international salons, I'm encouraged press on and am excited by recent developments in digital manipulation techniques. They are especially powerful when applied to abstract expression. VORTEX. ( A
photo. produced before I had access to digital techniques.) My abstract work is often just an exploration emotions and how it is stimulated by colour, form, and texture, but sometimes I add elements which are light-hearted and sometimes subtle elements which are metaphors hinting at different aspects of life. I find it fascinating yet tantalisingly difficult to explain why the reactions of different people to the same image are so variable. For example some will relate red is related to sunsets and peace, whilst others will related it to anger and war. Are these differences are due subconscious associations with past experiences, part of our genetic make-up? Does the explanation lie somewhere in the deep mysteries of art and metaphysics or a combination of all these factors? See:- Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Wassilly Kandinski, ISBN 0-486-23411-8, Art Meets Science and Spirituality, ISBN 0-312-06172-2. One is left puzzling about what constitutes a good abstract photograph in the eyes of other viewers. 4. USE OF FRACTALS Mathematical curves can form striking images, especially fractals, and people have been making an art of producing fractal images for many years (Click for FRACTINT Gallery) but it is less usual to combine fractal patterns with photographs to form abstract compositions. For me they can be used to complement or enhance photographic images like theme music enhances a film. The program FRACTINT is a very versatile and effective piece of software for producing fractals and I am enormously grateful to the authors, who generously supplied this free public domain program. The full version runs in DOS, but the GIF images can easily be imported into Windows, A shareware program called 'Fractal eXtreme does run in WINDOWS. It is not quite as Versatile as Fractint but is more modern and has some powerful features associated with Windows, and some clever colouring tools. I generate, distort and colour all the fractal patterns myself. I do not get any satisfaction scanning fractals generated by anyone else. Fractals do generate moods for me just like landscape scenery. The image below is made up of manipulated fractals, except for the crystal. Click on Fractal Products for a selection of my images derived from photographs and fractal images. WARP TUNNEL; an image based on fractal patterns 5. WHERE AM I NOW, AND WHERE NEXT? After retirement, I obtained an Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society, using a combination of pictorial and abstract slides, and have had a number of such slides of both types accepted in international salons. Such recognition was very satisfying for a rational physicist floundering in the world of art, but I have taken a break from entering competitions and salons. I am contented for the moment to develop my digital imaging skills using the computer power and the breathtaking tools that have become available. I greatly enjoy exploring the wonderful new outlets for creative expression that they bring. After following my instinct for a while I expect to become more focused and to concentrate on particular themes. Such themes are already emerging and I have picked several for display in my virtual gallery. I may continue to develop some or all of these themes, or initiate others. If I find a new line, I like to move on. The two compositions below were produced at the start the digital imaging development trail (1996) when I was exploring both surreal effects, and the use of fractals images. They are accompanied by commentaries made at the time. I leave them for display but they do now (1999) seem uncertain and dated. I do feel as if I've moved on! There is so much to explore and of course I have had a lot of feedback on my work most of which I have found helpful.
Interestingly some of my recent digital images are proving to be saleable as mounted and framed prints, or as book illustrations, but self-expression is the main aim. I have so far created an archive of over 400 digital images using my personal collection of about 4000 slides, together with new slides. I'm still active with my camera. (top) 6. CREATION OF VIRTUAL GALLERIES Without making any prior attempt to produce images in specific categories, I have found retrospectively that that my images can broadly be divided into about seven categories. Selected images from each of these categories are displayed as panels in the virtual gallery. The images (54 images June 99) have just about exhaust my available Web space on CompuServe. I suppose I would like space for about 100 to give a good overview of each of my themes, but beyond that number site maintenance could become tiresome. The resolution (750 X 500 pixels) is chosen to fit 17 inch monitors. The originals have a much higher resolution, and are suitable for prints of ~ 400 X 250 mm, but of course at this resolution they would take too long to download, and in any case to preserve copyright I would not exhibit at full resolution on the Internet
The World Photo Gallery ,a thriving photographic international community initiated in Australia (the power of the Web!) also hosts 40 of my images. These are slightly smaller but are well indexed by thumbnails and are fast to download. All the comments that have been left by viewers about the individual images are on display beneath the images. (top) 7. EXHIBITIONS I arranged exhibitions of prints in local galleries for IMAGinE, a talented group of digital enthusiasts drawn from the Harrogate Photographic Society. The last one, at the Design Exchange in Bradford, contained 120 images and was ell received. Following my lead, some of the members are now building their own virtual galleries on the internet.and we perhaps eventually we'll use hyperlinks to link up and form a virtual group gallery: This presents a new and fascinating challenge and provides a stimulus to continue image-making. Familiarisation takes a little time for the members new to the Web, but the reward is worth the effort. (top)
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