In this part of assignment I have to provide information on the research and influence other photographers and artists on my choice of images ....5 is a minimum, so I have to really think about my selected themes all over and look for a guidelines from some famous image makers. As I choose to do Landscape photography as well as Close-ups in nature, I have to concentrate my attention on that sort of photography and choice is big, every one from famous photographers at least once pay attention to nature and who can blame them if you look around everywhere you go you are surrounded by organic world which is despite cityscape find the way to decorate our lives.
I took this picture in a middle of Nottingham and if you don't know that - you will never guess!
/Manual, F 3.8, 1/125 sec/
So yes, landscapes is all around us and I am very exited to look much closer on this type of photography during my Level 2.
First on my research list is:
Charlie Waite.
(born 1949)
Recently I came across one of his books "LANDSCAPE" (The story of 50 favorite photographs)- it contains a personal selection of his 50 favorite images together with advice on how to capture the unique beauty of landscapes and all the technical details for each shoot. Although he works with a film - book contains many useful tips how to bring out the best of the scene and create stunning photographs.
Charlie Waite is one of the UK's leading landscape photographers, as I read he began his career as an actor and stage assistant, but later switched to photographing actors instead.
He photographic style is very personal and I can see his pictures is full with magical feeling of calm and harmony. In this particular book he talks about his pictures with such a love and I can understand way.
This image Charlie Waite has took near his home...in some peaceful evening. As you look at the picture you can feel its mood...it is so real and perfect rule of thirds... I know how inspirational that water can be... as I grown up by the sea....
In his photo capture he uses fine grain transparency film, graduated filters, and often polarizing filters. The images then are printed by Charlie Waite himself. I feel very sad sometimes knowing that I will never be able to learn all technical stuff to work with a film, all now is digital, easy, I would say lazy....of course still you have to know what you are doing, but in my opinion it cant be masterpiece...the real one. Looking Charlie Waite`s work I understand what real photographer should be....without any image viewer you have to see the scene, how it will turn out, its like a special way of thinking and very hard work.
Picture above is my favorite...just look on the colors...I can call that - be on the right time in the right place. As Charlie Waite describe- he was heading for London on another business trip ...heavy rain was forecast and he wondered to take his camera with you or not, but like he write, and I totally agree with him, its all or nothing, because you can just take camera, have to think of other lenses, tripods filters and in his case ladder as well. As a rain was blocked hes view an the way, he was unable to see any landscape, but on way back he discover a combination of color and line that will satisfy him for many years to come (he`s not the only one). A farmer responsible for that mix of colors sad to C.Waite...- "You have benefited from my error. I planted my oilseed rape too late- is an early spring crop and linseed a late spring/early summer one - would be unlikely ever to see anything like that again".
Charlie Waite has not limited his exploration only to the British countryside. He has also traveled and taken photographs in many countries around the world. Loots of his favorite images was taken in Spain, France, Italy, Africa, USA.
The one from France grab me the most:
Trees near Amiens - reflection works so well and look again at the lines and color of the scene, probably the nice is not the right word to describe that image.
Any photographer should be lucky to get images like this in his portfolio....and it is giving me a good ideas, for my spring to come....even if I wont be able to travel far, I have a good feel with all my poor equipment and immobility I will get to create something nice....unfortunately, now still is miserable outside and I have to stay indoors and get on with my written amount of work and probably get some Polarizer and Graduated filters in order to produce something similar than C.Waite`s photos.
This bellow is the only one of dissent landscape in my photo collection till now….weather is my enemy I can’t wait for real spring to come. I took this image in Nottingham, in the Castle park, where I went together with my children. My main focus was on flowers, I used a regular lenses and just because, I was just passing I didn't have a time to work more on my shoot. If you look and compere it with C.Waite's photographs is nothing common, but like I said before, it is just beginning and will be taking a lots more for future in order to produce something comparable. My tutor advice me to crop it into a square, and for my surprise its turned out very well.
/Manual, F/22, 1/10sec, 18mm lens, WB Auto/
More from Charlie Waite -
http://www.charliewaite.com
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Trees...that always was my passion, once upon a time I was good of drawing them, now I like to take a photographs. In each tree I found something beautiful - eye caching element which I want to memorize in my camera...Almost every landscape picture you will see trees, its like no detachable part of the scene, what decorates all image with is beauty.
If for flowers you have to wait for appropriate season....trees you can capture any time, no meter what part of the year, time of the day, even any weather conditions...you have endless choices....and that's probably what I like the most.
Ansel Adams
(1902 - 1984)
"The whole world is, to me, very much "alive"-all the little growing things, even the rocks. I can`t look at a swell bit of grass and earth, for instance, whiteout feeling the essential life- the things going on- within them. The same goes for a mountain, or a bit of the ocean, or a magnificent piece of old wood"...../A.Adams/
Ansel Adams was the most honored American photographer of the twentieth century. His work, ranging from intimate studies of nature to sweeping mountain vistas, has been published in a many of books, posters, and calendars. Last week I borrowed one of his work - "Trees"- from the library and fall in love. This book well presents some Ansel Adams finest photographs of trees - all in black in white - full of delightful scenes from redwood groves to flowering orchards... close-ups of snow branches to leaf patterns against the sky...and, of course, the mighty trees of the Sierra and the American West...
/Oak Tree, Sunset City, Sierra Foothills, California, 1962/
/Road and Fog, Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, California, 1964/
/Redwoods, Bull Creek Flat, N.California, 1960/
Those above is my favorites and once again it`s prove what I said before, to capture a tree is no need to wait for a sunshine...just look how stunning and impressive this photographs are ... whit it's calm light and perfect composition.
I never thought that black and white photography can be so inspiring...as I always add some tree images to my photo library I tried to turn some of my recent captured trees in black and white and I was very pleased with results....
/Nottingham, Castle Park/
/Manual, F/10, 1/100sec, 18mm lens,/
I adore tree branches, they never look the same and make such a lovely patterns.
/Burton-on-Trent, Shobnall fields/
/Manual, F/20, 1/13sec, 135mm lens/
I was trying out to shoot thees trees with my telephoto lenses, that was the only way to isolate them from unwanted objects both sides of the scene.
/Burton-on-Trent, Outwoods/
/Manual, F/20, 1/13sec, 55mm lens/
In order to get that shoot right I had to crawling into the bushes, which wasn't very pleasant, but I really pleased with results.
I had lots more good images of the trees from last year’s work, but is not very useful now when I am on Level 2,... I have to make new images. My biggest problem is that I can get where I want - when I want. Photographer should be flexible and mobile, but I am mostly tied up to house and in order to get some new photos I had to plan a trip which not always turns out as success.
The last one is one I like the best, I added some sharpness and soften edges with photo editing software for more dramatic look and I think it works very well. Now everything is easy to be done…like I said before, I can’t count this as a real art. . That’s way I like to pay attention more to older photographers. A.Adams images are real masterpiece – as he worked with a film, darkroom, developing stunning photographs what from now I really admire.
In Internet still selling some of the famous A.Adams photographs, posters etc. In this link you will find more information about artist, he’s work, life and honest passion to nature, what was really inspired me as well.
