travel | alan frost photography

Photographer and subject drawn to the light ….. The story behind the picture recalls a quote by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

I have said this before, but much can be learned by studying the images of famous photographers whose work you admire. Similarly their writings can also encourage and inspire. I particularly enjoy reading quotations by some of my favourite photographers – Ansel Adams, Minor White and Henri Cartier-Bresson to name just three. I wholeheartedly recommend having a shelf full of photography books to revisit from time to time, browse at leisure and enjoy.

I took this image in Wells Cathedral in Somerset on Boxing Day, just a few days ago. Its capture reminded me of a quote by Cartier-Bresson that I recalled reading in the past. I couldn’t remember the exact words, only the sentiment. It didn’t take me long to find the quote and this is what he wrote:-

“Sometimes it happens that you stall, delay, wait for something to happen. Sometimes you have the feeling that here are all the makings of a picture – except for just one thing that seems to be missing. But what one thing? Perhaps someone suddenly walks into your range of view. You follow his progress through the viewfinder. You wait and wait, and then finally you press the button – and you depart with the feeling (though you don’t know why) that you’ve really got something.”

Let me now explain the story that lies behind this image. I hope you will find it interesting. I should begin by saying that Wells Cathedral is not only a place I have visited and photographed previously, but one which never ceases to inspire me to make images. I always find that I am drawn to how the light behaves; it’s almost as if it’s playing a magical tune.

As I wandered around I noticed how a low narrow shaft of light illuminated the stone floor and the base of a large pillar at the end a row of seats. The light was coming and going but I crouched down and adjusted my position to compose the image. I peered into the screen on the back of my camera and I didn’t have to wait very long before the brightest light returned to the scene.

Just as I was about to press the shutter, a lady walked into my field of view and sat down in the chair next to the pillar. A little frustrated I stood up, but then I guess intuition took over. I crouched down again, quickly recomposed and took the shot. Just the one release as I didn’t want to attract her attention and appear to be invading her privacy. It was only later that I could see that she had her head back and eyes closed!

I looked at the screen to review what I had captured. The camera’s exposure was set to protect the highlights, so much of the image was very dark and underexposed. I would have to wait until the image was downloaded to see whether or not I had a ‘keeper’. Something inside me made me feel rather excited to find out.

There is no question that initially I had been drawn to the scene by the light. Arguably the picture lacked a true focal point and I was aware that the modern chairs were rather out of keeping with the architecture. Nevertheless I felt it was a scene worth capturing. In truth though there was something missing, and that something walked into the viewfinder at precisely the right moment. I believe that she too had been drawn to the light. It was the Christmas season so quite possibly a light of a more spiritual nature.

Perhaps you can now understand why I recalled the quote by Cartier-Bresson…… it was almost an exact match for the image I made and my experience in doing so.

For previous posts on Wells Cathedral please click on the links below:

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

A Monochrome Masterclass and a visit to Wells

Revisiting the majestic Wells Cathedral ….. to capture some details

The Chapter House – making amends for a missed opportunity

The Isles of Iona and Mull – Part One ….. Iona Abbey

***The ferry crossing at Fionnphort at the end of the Ross of Mull***

For many centuries The Isle of Iona has been a cherished destination for pilgrims wishing to visit the Benedictine Abbey and experience for themselves the beauty, peace and spiritual nature of the Isle. It was on this isle that St Columba and his disciples first landed in 563AD, having rowed from Ireland in a currach, a small boat with a wooden or wicker frame covered in tarred animal hides. There is much speculation as to why the Irish Saint, then known by his Irish name as Colm Cille, meaning “Dove of the Church”, made what would have been this tortuous journey. But in doing so he spread the word of Christianity in Scotland and further afield.

***The Isle of Mull with Iona at the western tip of*** ***the Ross of Mull***

Even today using modern means of transport it requires a fair amount of effort to reach Iona. From Oban on the Scottish mainland a ferry crossing of about an hour docks at Craignure on the Isle of Mull. An hour and a quarter long drive along the A849, albeit a mainly single track road leads to Fionnphort. From there another ferry crosses the Sound of Iona in ten minutes. These ferry crossings are very weather dependent, so once you arrive on the island the feeling of isolation on Iona is tangible. Keep in mind it is only 3 miles long a 1.5 miles wide. When Samuel Johnson and James Boswell famously toured the Western Isles and the Hebrides in 1773, they reached Mull via the Isle of Coll. A significant and challenging adventure given the journey on land would have been horse and carriage.

***A much photographed view of the Abbey from the Sound of Iona***

Earlier this year my wife and I had the good fortune to return to this very special and beautiful place; The Isle of Iona forms part of the Inner Hebrides in Scotland and lies at the western most tip of the Isle of Mull. We stayed in a small property in Fionnphort and overlooked the Sound of Iona. From our accommodation for the week we could see the small ferry port and observe the regular sailing of the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry as it made the 10 minute crossing. We were blessed with lovely weather although that did have the effect of increasing the number of visitors.

As you might imagine there is considerable history attached to the Island and in particular to the Abbey. Too much in fact for me to describe in any detail here, suffice to say that the Sacred Isle became the hub for early Christianity as missionaries spread the word across northern Britain. The original celtic monastery founded by St Columba no longer exists and the current Abbey dates from the 13th Century, although monastic life ended in 1560 with the protestant reformation and the building was left derelict. Restoration only took place in the early part of the 20th Century before final completion in 1965.

***A replica of the 8th Century St John’s Cross*** – ***what remains of the original cross can be seen in the Abbey Museum***

***Interior detail – notice the ferns growing out of the wall***

***Detail of one of the many stone carvings in the Cloisters – Alpha and Omega***

***Light and darkness in the Cloisters***

During the Dark Ages Iona was the subject of many raids by the Vikings, mainly in the 9th Century and the graveyard of St Oran’s Chapel was used as the final resting place for many local clan chieftains and ‘Kings of the Isles’. During this period the island also became a leading artistic and scholarly centre, known for its carved stone crosses and illuminated manuscripts which included the famous Book of Kells.

This is Part One of three posts about the Isles of Mull and Iona.

Parts Two and Three can be read here

The Isles of Mull and Iona – Part two ….. Capturing the spirit of place

The Isles of Mull and Iona – Part Three ….. It’s bath time!

Exploring colour landscape photography: a shift from monochrome ….. because variety is the spice of life

*Storm approaching the dunes at East Head, West Sussex*

Here on the south coast of England we have experienced a very dry and hot summer. Several months have passed with no rain whatsoever. The ground is bone dry, grass has turned to straw and I fear that some of the plants in our garden will not have survived the drought.

From a photographic point of view summer is never a good time of year for me. The sun is too high in the sky, the contrast is too great and clear blue skies maybe great for a day at the beach but there is no mood and atmosphere to capture. Plus, and being somewhat selfish, there are too many people at the places I wish to photograph.

So apart from the occasional shoot, I have spent the last few weeks and months giving more time to reflect and think about my photography. Devising plans for when the weather changes, the days become shorter and the light is more favourable. One area of specific consideration has been whether or not I should make more images in colour.

Ever since 2012 virtually all my work has been in black and white. You only need to look through past entries or any of my galleries (apart from one) to see that black and white is ostensibly what I do. However I make images for my own pleasure. There are no rules which inhibit me from doing anything I like, and that includes switching to colour if I so wish, even if I naturally default to monochrome.

As I haven’t been out with my camera I have been trawling through my back catalogue of thousands of images and selecting a few which I have now processed in colour. Some have been captured this year others have lain idle on the hard drive for many years. I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed spending my time in this way. I have come across many images which I had largely forgotten. Seeing them afresh as well as opening my eyes to colour has been quite liberating.

There is no question in my mind that monochrome and colour are two very different photographic disciplines. Over time my photographic eye has learnt to see the world in black and white, helped of course by being able to preview the image on the rear screen or in the EVF. Photographs that work in mono do not always make a good colour image and vice versa. Perhaps this goes without saying but it does make me think that a fundamental decision needs to be made before the shutter is released. The decision is one of intent – is the end result going to be in black and white or colour? And how might this choice impact on the composition, exposure and any other factors which could be relevant and improve the final outcome.

In editing this selection of images I have very quickly come to realise there are a whole new set of processing skills I need to learn and hone to make pleasing colour photographs. Well, images that I am happy with anyway. Of course I understand the fundamentals of colour editing but I need to practice much more and develop a better understanding of the tools which are available to me and which I wouldn’t have used previously to make a black and white picture. I fully recognise the workflow is not the same and I will need to make adjustments accordingly. To be frank I am looking forward to the challenge.

*Late afternoon, Fishbourne Meadows, West Sussex*

In editing these images I have noticed two things in particular. Firstly my choice of crop or aspect ratio. Originally these were all captured on a full frame or APSC camera with a 3×2 aspect ratio but in many cases I have cropped the image to 16×9 or even 3×1. I don’t think this has anything to do with the fact that they are colour files necessarily, but I really like how this ‘letterbox’ approach changes the overall feel and impact of the image. Fortunately the large sensors offered by most if not all camera manufacturers today provides plenty of latitude when cropping without degrading the image too much.

Secondly colour balance or colour temperature has a big affect on the feel of the photograph. Should it be cool or warm? Any noticeable colour cast could of course render the picture unrealistic but there are creative choices to be made. I always shoot in RAW so adjusting the white balance is quite straightforward, although I did find myself revisiting this aspect of the editing process as I wasn’t always happy with my first or even my second attempt!

Being creative with colour as opposed to black and white is not the same. Black and white is far more flexible in this respect. The lack of colour means a mono image is instantly an abstraction of what we normally see as we go about our daily lives. If you applied the edits in a mono conversion to the same colour file, the result would probably be horrendous so as I said earlier the two disciplines are very different.

*Marker Post, West Wittering, West Sussex*

Looking forward it is my intention to make many more images in colour although I don’t think I will ever lose my love for black and white. How could I after so many years? But there is a place for both styles of imagery and as the old saying goes – ‘variety is the spice of life’.

*White Strand of the Monks, Isle of Iona, Scotland*

Derwentwater….. arguably the Lake District at its most beautiful

Age and an adversity to risk stop me from venturing very far up into the hills these days. I know if I did such walks would reveal some wonderful vistas of this majestic area. Yes, there are great viewpoints from the high passes which can be reached by car, but somehow it’s not quite the same as a day out fell walking followed by a pint and a pie back in the village pub nestled in the valley below.

Looking back I sometimes wish I had been a little more adventurous when age and fitness were on my side, nevertheless a less challenging walk along the shoreline of Derwentwater still comes with many rewards. There are scenes which are simply beautiful. Some might argue they truly encapsulate what the Lake District is all about. Big skies above the hills which are reflected in a large stretch of water. Assuming of course the air is still and the water calm.

These images taken of Derwentwater a few weeks ago on a rather lovely morning are well known scenes which have inspired many an artist and photographer. Witnessing for yourself the majesty of the landscape and nature at its finest, is very gratifying and good for the soul.

A photographic journey ….. Revisiting Buttermere in the Lake District after 12 Years

I ask myself – what took me so long?

In all the years I have been making photographs, there have been certain locations which are deserving of the comment; ‘one day I hope to return’. The Lake District, and Buttermere in particular, definitely falls into this category and I hope you can understand why from the images you see here.

After a long interlude of twelve years, I am pleased to say that a few weeks ago I was walking along the shoreline of Buttermere once again. It was quite early in the day and although the sky was overcast, there were some bright patches of light reflecting off the surface of the water. In many respects these are ideal conditions for black and white photography.

Who knows but one day I would like to head to The Lake District again. If I do, I’ll try not leave it quite so long. After all none of us get any younger and to reach some of the best locations for photography it can involve quite a trek. Hopefully my legs will still get me there! If not these photographs and others captured during our stay will always serve as a reminder of this very beautiful place. That’s the great thing about photography. The images themselves do not have to be 10 out of 10. If all they do is bring back happy memories about a certain time and location, then pressing the shutter to record these moments is a very worthwhile thing to do.

Incidentally all these images were captured with the Leica Q3 and processed in Capture One and Nik Silver Efex Pro. After a few months in use I can truly vouch for what a great camera it is.

There will be more posts of the Lake District coming soon but in the meantime you might like to look at my Lake District Gallery Page. It shows a number of images from my previous visit to the area back in 2013.