alan frost

Posts by alan frost

Dorset in the snow

The number of times we experience snow in southern England are relatively rare, although we have had two quite significant falls in the past few weeks. What perhaps is more unusual, is for me to be in the right place and have the time to make some photographs of a ‘white’ landscape which is so well suited to monochrome.

In the past few days we have had the ‘Mini Beast from the East’, a lesser version of ‘The Beast from the East’ which took place at the turn of the month. I have read this morning that ‘The Beast from the East 3’ is being forecast for Easter. I am not a great fan of this naming of weather events, but the media machine clearly benefits.

Yesterday I was in Dorset and virtually all the roads were passable with care. I only had to turn round once where drifting snow had blocked the way ahead. I was fortunate to have good cloud cover as well. I was pleased the sun didn’t shine, as this would only have increased contrast and made setting the correct exposure even more challenging.

I thoroughly enjoyed a cold but photographically productive few hours finding suitable locations and compositions.

The snow simplifies the landscape. Shapes, lines, form and texture come to the fore. The snow helps to emphasise all these ingredients which are always important to a black and white photographer.

Do click on any of the images to view a larger version.

‘Drawing with light’ – church interiors

The word ‘photograph’ is derived from two words in Greek. ‘Phōtós’, genitive of ‘phōs’ meaning light and ‘graphé’ meaning representation by lines or drawing. In other words a photograph is ‘drawing with light’.

Piscina of light

This image is of a piscina, which is a small bowl used to dispose of water in services. It is often set in a wall, as it is here. In flat light I doubt I would have even considered taking a photograph, but lit by the sun coming through a window on the opposite side of the church, this simple architectural feature is transformed. The shape and texture are revealed and there is a depth to the picture which without the light would not be evident.

I am always looking for these brief moments when natural light is at play inside a place of worship. Here are a few more examples.

Shadows and the Cross

Hymn Books

Chancel Step

Three Windows and a Pulpit

Candlelight in The Priory

Light and Shadow in the Nave

I have quite a collection of this type of image, made over a number of years, so some you may have seen before. Whenever I revisit these photographs, which have been ‘drawn by light’ I am always inspired to make even more.

A walk over Apple Down

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It’s been a bright, dry and cold week and a couple of days ago I managed to find the time to take a stroll over Apple Down, which is north of the tiny hamlet of Up Marden in West Sussex. There are so many footpaths for me to explore and each one will hopefully yield some images to add to the portfolio for my latest project.

I realise that more and more I am drawn to simple subjects. Whether they be a gap in a line of trees, tracks in the field or farm equipment which has just been left on the ground by the farmer before he needs to use it again. They are not necessarily beautiful images but they are pictures which I believe capture the very essence of the landscape and for that reason alone are worth taking and recording.

This project is as much about documenting what I see in the area; it is not a search for ‘chocolate box’ pictures which have been taken countless times before.

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Other posts about this project can be found by clicking on the links below.

New Year, New Project

New Project – First shots and initial thoughts

New Project – It’s early days

‘Fallen’ in Wildhams Wood

Alternative Photographic Techniques – Platinum and Palladium Printing

I have been interested in alternative photography and their associated historic printing techniques for a few years now. The process itself coupled with the tonality, delicacy and unique nature of each print appeals to me. When a course became available at West Dean College, an arts and conservation college close to where I live, I immediately reserved a place. The course took place last week and this is my report. Whilst this is a fairly long entry with a lot of illustrative pictures, if you are at all interested in this alternative photographic process specifically platinum and palladium, the aristocrat of contact printing, then I hope you will read on.

‘Fallen’ in Wildhams Wood

In the location I have chosen to explore and photograph for my new project there are a good number of woodland areas, some of which are managed by the Forestry Commission. Open access to this land is not clear although I underdstand The Forestry Commssion has started the process (in June 2017) whereby it will designate its land for public access under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act.

When I visited this wood recently I stayed on one of the public footpaths. I did though venture into the wood itself having noticed a single fallen pine tree which I thought might be an interesting subject to photograph. This tree had not been felled by a forester. From the angle of its trunk it was clear nature had been the cause of its downfall. I took a number of frames from different positions using either a 90mm short telephoto lens to compress the detail or an 18mm super wideangle to get up close and personal.