Sunset Over Covid 19

The world is looking increasing beautiful here in Somerset. The quietness and unusual hazy summer like days in early April easily make you forget the horrendous reality of the pandemic and our fragile existence.
I cant help thinking that the planet doesn't need humans.

This view could almost be in the early days of  Los Angeles. I love the contrast of the illuminated building and and grainy texture in low light. I need to start using a tripod though.

Pink Camellias 2020

Looking at photographing or presenting every image in black and white and colour. I'm lacking to vocabulary to write about what and why I am choosing images.

I like black and white for its clean simplicity without the distractions or added ideas colour brings.
I like colour for being able to present the ideas that colour brings.

These Camellias are very bold and pink and extra frilly like Barbara Cartland.  I wanted the colours to be saturated like I see them but softened so they aren't quite so brash. They remind me of 1950s floral dress prints.

I prefer the more perfectly formed blush pink variety I first photographed and the romance they portrayed.

One of the reasons I don't really like talking about the photographs is because its difficult not to sound pretentious!

Magic Flowers

These tiny little flowers are found under some trees in the garden and come alive like magic in the evening sunlight.
I wanted to capture those little punches of colour with light making the luminescent. I'm drawn to the darker shadows and have increased the black.

I also really love photographing flowers, I need to pick some and try a still life.


Canon 5D 50mm lens f/2 Edited in lightroom

Wood Seat

Everyone is talking about isolation creation. We are at the end of week 2 of lockdown in the UK due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The idea of isolation - a quiet time to feel creative again, to slow down and get inspired, was a dream.
Being self employed means I couldn't just stop the way others have. I can't put myself on furlough and I'm in a limbo between half working and half taking a very much needed break. I've been running on empty for a while.

Taking just a few moments to photograph things I find beautiful, makes me feel motivated to create new work again. Maybe once I've done my jobs I'll treat myself to more photographs.

Above is an old wooden seat made from a tree trunk. The grain is beautiful.
Photographed on Canon 5D 50mm f/22 - edited in Lightroom

Magnolias

Magnolia flowers on black - in black and white and in colour.

Bath, 2018

Peonies Life Cycle

I photographed these Peonies over a few weeks from bud to end.
I have edited these differently in lightroom from super saturated 1950s bold colour to subtle balletic colours more akin to still life paintings.
I still love the black and white most and need to get more confident with colour and how to use it.