As I have grown as a photographer I have also changed my view of reality as depicted by the photograph. We are in control of how we frame an image, what we choose to include and omit, and the stories that we want to convey. This may have nothing to do with the ‘reality’ of the situation in which the photograph was taken, and all starts with your vision of the final image.
Although I enjoy all genres of photography and like trying new techniques, my passion lies with street photography. It’s a form of photography that allows me to practice almost every day, embraces the unexpected, allows a certain amount of preparation, but then relies on chance, and always throws up surprises on image review (the great shot you did not know you took, subconsciously pressing the trigger because all the elements in the frame worked without you consciously making the decision. Intuition?) To this end I set myself a challenge last year to post one street photo each day to my Instagram feed only using my 35mm prime lens. This has been a great experience and is almost a meditative space for me, which I look forward to everyday.
I have also learned to look for the abstract in everyday life, the play of light and shadow, and the isolation of colour. This stems from how I like to capture my street images, but spreads into all the work I do, and some of this can be seen in my Queen Victoria Market (QV) series.
My most recent adventure has been delving into alternative photographic techniques. I’ve started with the cyanotype process and some of my images are included here. The most appealing thing about this process is the uncertainty of the end result. Every print you create is unique and cannot be duplicated. The hand of the artist is evident in every stage of the process, and there is great personal satisfaction when the final print is realised. The connection with an era of photographic discovery in our digital age is very rewarding.
So, this is where I am at the moment, passionate about my photography, hopefully improving my skills, and continuing to depict my version of reality through images.