Photography | alan frost photography

Posts from the ‘Photography’ category

A quote by St. Francis of Assisi reminded me of Wells Cathedral.

“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

The Scissor Arches

I came across this quote recently and I couldn’t help but think of some of the truly magnificent cathedral buildings in this country. One in particular came to mind; – Wells Cathedral in Somerset, arguably one of the most beautiful in England and without question a favourite of mine.

Looking down the nave and up towards the Scissor Arches, one can only marvel at the work of the labourer, the craftsman and the artist. The use of hands, heads and hearts are all very evident.

For the historians, the site of Wells Cathedral can be traced back to 705, although construction on the present cathedral began in around 1175. The scissor arches were added in 1338-48 and they resolved a real problem. As well as being quite beautiful they stopped the complete collapse of a tall tower which had been built in 1313 on weak foundations.

Photographically speaking the great Henri Cartier-Bresson said –

‘It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head’.

Remarkably similar to the quote by St Francis of Assisi don’t you think?

All by myself

Despite the title, this isn’t a long distance selfie! I am though drawn to lone figures in relatively empty spaces walking along with only their thoughts for company. Perhaps it’s because I can readily empathise with the concept of being on alone in a quiet space. After all there is so much ‘noise’ in this world that it has become something of a luxury and a joy to find somewhere with solitude and even a little silence.

Alone yes, but even here there is the sound of gentle waves lapping against shore and feet squelching as each step lands on the soft wet sand. I just hope this person had the good sense to switch off their mobile phone, or better still left it at home to avoid the temptation to check for messages, emails, likes or comments!

There is of course one other person present, and that’s me the photographer. Photography tends to be a solitary pursuit and I am very happy this should be the case.

As you are looking at this image there is now a third person, you the viewer. For as Ansel Adams once said – ‘There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer’ – and how right he was.

Depending on the device you are using to view this picture, you might like to click on the image to see a larger version, as the main point of interest is very small but hugely relevant!

Exhibition deliberations……..it’s nearly time to make some key decisions

Jetty posts at Dell Quay

It’s now less than four months before my exhibition takes place at The Oxmarket Centre of Arts in Chichester. As a consequence my deliberations are intensifying, as the time is fast approaching when decisions need to be made. I settled on a theme for the exhibition a while ago – all the images would be of Chichester Harbour. I did waiver recently when I thought I might want to display a more eclectic mix but I soon returned to my original intention to show a body of work centered on one topic. I am pleased I have done so, particularly as the subject matter is local to where the exhibition is being staged.

As I am sharing the gallery with five other photographers, allocation of hanging space is all important as this will help me make a number of decisions. Firstly the number of images I will have room to display, secondly their size and finally their placement. I already know that I do not want to hang as many pictures as I first thought. I believe a viewer can quickly be overloaded by too many photographs, so I am of the opinion that a smaller selection of the very best images will prove to be more effective. However this means that my proposed short list will have to shrink even further before the final choice of pictures can be identified for printing and framing. This process is already proving more difficult than I thought, but my deliberations can only continue for so long. Trouble is, I also want to display two sizes. I know the respective measurements but which ones should get star billing?

Choice of photographic paper has been made and soft proofing already undertaken to ensure the quality of each print meets my expectations. I have not out-sourced the printing as I like to maintain complete control, although framing will be done by a local professional.

This image ‘Jetty posts at Dell Quay” is on my short list and very soon I will have decided whether or not it will appear at the exhibition, but in the meantime I would like to share this picture and my ongoing thoughts with you.

As always do click on the image to view and appreciate a larger version.

Don’t bring your own food and drink in here!

Window Sign

Dereliction, rust, peeling paintwork, missing panes of glass etc, all appeal to photographers, so we are inevitably drawn to buildings which have these traits. The bonus comes when you find a sign which enhances the image and the viewer starts to question what the story is behind the picture.

This establishment shows no other signs of ever having been a place where you could buy food and drink, let alone consume it, so I can only hope that the owner of this building was simply demonstrating the fact that he had a good sense of humour when he placed this notice in the window.

The ancient yew trees of Kingley Vale – nature’s cathedral or a place of ghosts?

The ancient yew trees in Kingley Vale Nature Reserve in West Sussex is a sight to behold and is perhaps one of the finest groves of its type in Western Europe. These magnificent trees are thought to be 2,000 years old which would mean they are some of the oldest living things in Britain. The gnarled bark of the twisted trunks and the contorted, arched branches which reach down to the woodland floor are beautiful, but also eerie in their sometimes almost ghost like appearance.

The grove has been likened to a cathedral. It’s dark beneath the canopy with shafts of light occasionally breaking through. The trunks represent pillars and the branches form arched trusses supporting the trees’ canopy or the roof of a cathedral. This comparison is not without foundation as yew trees are planted in churchyards. Trees, particularly long lived yews were worshiped in the days before Christianity.

Photographically I found it difficult at first to find strong compositions and the light was also a challenge. You can probably imagine how dark this yew tree grove would be, even in the summer. However as soon as the sun broke through, the scene was transformed into one of high contrast making it all but impossible to capture the true essence of this location. Although these frames were all taken when the sun was obscured by cloud I still had to avoid strong highlights where gaps appeared in the foliage. After about an hour the sun emerged for the remainder of the afternoon. There was far too much contrast and the camera and tripod were packed away for another day.

Although I have walked around Kingley Vale on many occasions, I have not photographed these trees before. I would like to do so again as familiarity with any subject allows your eye to see different ways of photographing something which you may have tried to capture many times before. But weather conditions, the time of day, the changing light of the seasons and countless angles of view for different compositions allow you to return again and again. I am sure that I will find new ways to observe, to interpret, and to appreciate a subject which perhaps I thought I already knew.

For anyone wishing to visit Kingley Vale Nature Reserve there is a car park at West Stoke, a small hamlet to the north of Chichester in West Sussex. The footpath to Kingley Vale is clearly marked and it will take you about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the Yew Tree Grove. Have fun!