Leica | alan frost photography

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Where have I been…..…???

There are three answers to this one question. All three have relevance and I’ll start with the most obvious response, which relates directly to the images in this entry.

Many of you may recognise the subject of the above image. Yes, I have been to Corfe Castle in Dorset. I have to say that I normally try and steer clear of a honeypot location such as this. The very mention of this iconic place and the mind immediately conjures up a picture of the castle ruins rising out of early morning mist, bathed in warm dawn light. It’s a beautiful sight but it’s something of a cliche in the photographic world. Metaphorically speaking, tripod holes are all too evident!

If at all possible I prefer to approach a well known subject with a different eye and avoid making similar images to those that have ventured there before me.

***Looking east from West Hill back towards Corfe Castle***

With any form of landscape photography the weather, light and conditions play a huge part and I struck lucky when I went to Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck. My principal intention was to enjoy a good walk from the village, get some fresh air, climb the hill to the west and take in the views, not just of the castle ruins but also the surrounding countryside. Of course I had my camera with me and it wasn’t long before some beautiful cloud formations coupled with glorious autumnal light presented me with a few opportunities to press the shutter. Why hadn’t I been here before?

Time to move on and give you the second answer to the question – ‘Where have I been?’

Unbelievably six months have passed since my last post and in this time my camera gear has barely seen the light of day. Many of you will be aware that England experienced a very hot summer with little or no rain resulting in a drought for many parts of the country. Certainly not the conditions for walking very far or indeed for my style of photography which relies heavily on mood and atmosphere.

There was also another reason for the camera staying in its bag.

This time last year we said goodbye to our dear cocker spaniel of nearly 12 years. My wife and I were heartbroken, but at the beginning of the year we took the decision to find another puppy and eventually we found a breeder and our new four legged companion joined us at the end May. It’s been pretty full on since then so it’s hardly surprising that photography took a back seat. He’s now six months old, another delightful and merry cocker, but hard work all the same.

Call it a photographic sabatical if you wish but I am very conscious of the fact that for various reasons I have been away from my camera.

***The Castle Ruins seemingly omnipresent – here it is overlooking the village cemetery***

And now to the third answer.

Although the camera stayed in the bag over the summer I took the opportunity to go back over the images I had made in the 15 years of being a serious hobbyist. Thousands of landscape images all with the intention of making three books. One on England, another on Scotland, Wales and Ireland and a third on my home county of Dorset. In total I selected nearly 350 photographs. It’s no easy task curating this number but I am very happy with my final selection. I have no intention of publishing these books, they will simply be albums for me, my family and friends to enjoy. Images left on a hard drive are rarely seen and there is only limited amount of wall space to frame and hang a selection of photographs. I have been meaning to carry out this task for sometime now, so I’m pleased it’s nearly complete.

As I collated my favourite images from different parts of the UK it reminded me of how fortunate I have been to visit all these wonderful places and to capture their beauty and spirit in monochrome. From the Outer Hebrides to the Isle of Mull and many other parts of Scotland. Northumberland, The Lake District, Pembrokeshire and Snowdonia in Wales. Norfolk and Suffolk on the East coast and much of the South coast from Kent through to Sussex, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. For a small country the UK can boast some truly breathtaking and varied landscapes.

This most pleasurable exercise brought back some vivid memories, but it also raised the question of ‘where haven’t I been?’ Time on earth for all of us is limited and so while I have enjoyed looking back, more importantly I am thinking about the future and looking forward to visiting new locations which I can add to my list of ‘Where have I been?’

I can now include Corfe Castle to this list – and yes it was great to be out with my camera once again. Circumstances have changed and autumn is with us. My enthusiasm for photography and desire to make new images has returned.

***One of the first images I made as I headed out to explore the area.***

One question – three answers – it’s good to be back.

Landscape photographs or holiday snaps? ….. images from County Kerry, Ireland

My wife and I have recently returned from a two week holiday in County Kerry which lies in the South Western corner of Ireland. A beautiful part of the world offering many photographic opportunities.

Having downloaded the files I have started the enjoyable process of selecting what I consider to be the most promising and pleasing images and editing them in my usual style. Inevitably this part of the workflow brings back happy memories of places visited and associated experiences. It is of course one of the reasons we take photographs. We want to preserve these memories for the future.

Back in the day all those of a certain age (me included!) will probably recall getting together so that either a slide show or the handing round of prints could take place after a family holiday. There would be very little culling , meaning all the photographs would be shared however good or bad. The quality would be variable. Over and under exposed pictures combined with a mix of reasonable but sometimes very poor compositions. Every photograph would be vocally described – where and when it was taken and what the weather was like, even though this would often be clearly evident from the photo itself! Sad to say but it could turn in to a ‘yawn fest’ yet it was part of the post holiday ritual which had to be undertaken and endured.

Whilst sitting at my computer selecting and processing some images a question entered my mind –

“When is an image a landscape photograph and no longer just a holiday snap?”

Time and technological progress has of course changed how we record our holidays. For many years now we have lived in a digital age with increasingly sophisticated cameras built-in to our smartphones. Almost everyone has the ability to use filters and intuitive processing software to produce a decent image. It is then shared not just to friends and family, but to the world and his wife via social media.

As I share with you the photographs I took on my recent trip to Ireland I am asking myself…… “Is this just today’s equivalent of the slide show projected onto a screen in a darkened room to family and friends? Are these pictures merely holiday snaps or is there something which sets them apart? No longer just a record shot but something visually appealing and possibly of interest to a wider audience”.

And if so, what distinguishes an ordinary picture taken on holiday from a landscape photograph which just happens to have been made whilst travelling away from home?

These are my thoughts which may or may not coincide with your own ideas.

1. I think every image should be viewed as an individual photograph, irrespective of whether or not it was taken on holiday and regardless of the camera or equipment used. An expensive state of the art camera doesn’t necessarily make a fine image. In other words a picture has to be worthy of standing on its own two feet.

2. The photograph must have something which causes the viewer to stop, look and appreciate the landscape for what it represents. Perhaps there is some form of narrative or an element of mystery which intrigues the viewer. It shouldn’t be seen as a record shot. Plus I would suggest that the image should clearly demonstrate photographic intent.

3. Perhaps the prime distinction is that the photograph is one which an individual may wish to have printed, framed and displayed on a wall in their home. This would be regardless of whether or not they had visited that particular location for themselves. I very much doubt a holiday snap would warrant this treatment by a complete stranger.

4. And lastly if it’s a collection of images then the quality and presentation should be harmonious, consistent and of a certain standard. Arguably it should possess some photographic expertise and not be classified as a ‘point and shoot’ picture.

Hopefully you won’t consider these photographs to be merely holiday snaps, but images which can be appreciated for what they are. I would be disappointed to think they might be thought of as today’s equivalent of the family slide show of yesteryear.

If you have any thoughts on the difference between a landscape photograph and a holiday snap do comment below – I would be interested in your thoughts.

When the rain falls and the water flows in County Kerry, Ireland

Although this above image is quite a simple one and minimalist in its nature, it does capture the power and movement of the water, which is in stark contrast to the stillness of the overhanging branch. It could be a metaphor for life; the frail looking branch, remaining strong and resolute, appearing to resist the forces of nature which might sweep it away.

Waterfalls are a popular subject for photographers although I can’t claim I’ve enjoyed much success in the past. Either the conditions haven’t been quite right, access has been challenging or I simply haven’t devoted sufficient time to the composition, selecting the best shutter speed etc.

For the first time I feel I have done justice to the subject with these four images.

Finding a pleasing composition wasn’t always easy. I felt a single rock provided a good focal point for my eye to rest on, whilst the swirling and fast moving water engulfed the one static element in the image.

Sometimes I didn’t feel a focal point was necessary. The more abstract nature of the above photograph I think works because of the pleasing pattern and shape created by the way the water is flowing in different directions.

And lastly a more traditional image of a different waterfall of a large rock splitting the flow of water. The surrounding wet rocks serve as a frame. They add texture and form to the photograph which I think works well in monochrome.

I have just returned home following a two week holiday in County Kerry, Ireland, the location for this set of images. It’s the first time my wife and I have visited the Emerald Isle. It was something of a gamble as we have endured a very wet winter in the UK and the weather was forecast to remain unsettled for the duration of our stay.

Undeterred, the conditions were promising from a photographic standpoint. Dark moody skies, dramatic light, skeletal winter trees and streams and rivers in spate.

I plan to share further images depicting the varied landscape of County Kerry in the very near future.

“What are you photographing?”….. the stranger asked inquisitively.

Crouching down with my camera and staring into the rather murky water of a small pond….a man approached me and asked me what was I photographing? He could have simply asked what on earth I was doing. Instead, he chose to be more tactful and polite with his questioning. Had I been in his shoes I may well have posed the same question. After all there was nothing obvious to be seen, let alone photograph…or was there?

And that’s the great thing about being a photographer. The eye is honed to see something which others may not notice. And the more you look and observe the more you see.

In this case I had been drawn to the stillness of a small twig which appeared to be rising out of the water. The reflections of the surrounding trees were being moved by a gentle breeze. The combination of stillness and movement appealed to me.

What I guess wouldn’t have been seen by the passerby was how these reflections would be frozen and captured by the use of a fast shutter. I focused on the twig and used a wide aperture intending to isolate the main subject.

If you are viewing this image on a small screen, you may find it difficult to appreciate the abstract quality of the reflections. So I have included a crop of one part of the picture.

Of course the answer to the question ‘what are you photographing?’ is in the eye of the photographer and is only concluded when the image has been captured and processed. At this moment the photographer’s vision comes together and makes sense – hopefully!

There is something about this photograph which really appeals to me. It’s something out of nothing, being both simple and complex in its makeup. To my eyes it’s the hidden beauty of nature which is very special. All too easily missed, but once seen, never forgotten.

Flooded Meadows ….. from the other side, with a tripod to slow me down

A few days ago I posted a set of images of the flooded water meadows close to where I live. You can read that post and see the images here.

I knew there was the possibility of some different views if I accessed the meadows from the other side of the river. In particular I wanted to capture some trees which I thought would be ideal subjects providing I could pick a still day to make the most of their reflections.

When conditions were favourable I selected what camera gear I would need and put on my wellies. I took a tripod, not because I would be taking any long exposures but to slow me down. I tend to work quite quickly and the one advantage of a tripod is that I take greater care over the composition and the camera’s settings. I find the process of being in the field more immersive as a consequence.

The water levels have receded but any more rain will only fall on saturated ground, so I fully expect these scenes will persist for some time to come. I may travel a little further afield to find other areas where I know local rivers have burst their banks. I have not known flooding on this scale before so I want to make the most of these conditions while I can.