Thoughts on making a portrait
In making a portrait many photographers have said of their work. I try to capture a bit of the inner man. I think that any photographic attempt to show the complete man to some degree is nonsense. A photographer can only show what the outer man reveals. There are a number of choices the photographer has made to create the image. The use of light, choice of composition. a dark or light background or location choice. How he directs the sitter. All these are made by the photographer so they reflect the photographer more than the sitter. These images below are part of a series I’m doing on Service men from World War 2 and Vietnam. I made the choice of a dark background with one strobe light mixed with the natural light in the room, whatever that may be. So what does it say about the sitters? Or what do I want it to say to the viewer? After processing I even decided to keep them in colour. That in itself can say a lot of what I was feeling, rather than the subject.
1 Male, 1 Female
If you believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. Then please click on this link and sign the petition. http://australianmarriage.org/
11th November 2011
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day and Veterans Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War 1 to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries. Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918; hostilities formally ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice (“at the 11th hour” refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 a.m.)
This was The Entrance today.
Reassuring Stone
All over wales there are stone walls, stone buildings and stone bridges. I have never seen anybody building or repairing the walls but they are all over the place, up and down valley and mountain top. This small building and stone foot bridge are on the boundary to the chapel Soar-y-munydd. “The Great Wilderness” was the name given to it by the late Wynford Vaughan Thomas. It’s miles from any town of notable size, being way up in the mountains. On Sundays in the milder seasons, congregations of Methodist pilgrims still make their way by coach up to this astonishing relic to hear preachers from Llandudno or Rhydaman discourse in the old and fervent Welsh style.
The day I was there it was a bitterly cold November. I remember thinking while my dad took a photograph of me with mam. If he doesn’t press that bloody button soon I’ll freeze solid to the ground.
The stone wall marks the path way through to Blaen-y-glyn waterfall in the Brecon Beacons national park.It’s been there for generations. I remember walking past it with my grampy when they used to come down for a visit and dad would take us all out for a drive and a walk. My brother Glyn and I camped nearby once.
It’s reassuring to know that somethings don’t change.
The Round Up
I had made my way around from Brecon to Hirwaun over the mountain road A4059. It was late in the afternoon, the sun was getting ready to set when I came across these two sheep farmers rounding up their flock so they could get them to market. As the road was chocked by the sheep and the scene was something I couldn’t help loving, I pulled the car over and grabbed a few shots as they walked on. I can now, while looking and thinking about this image, see the scene played out in front of me and remember the smell, as sheep do have a particular one, the light and even the direction from which the farmer on the left came from. And it was photographed around 1977. On a black and white Kodak Tri X film with a Zenith 35mm SLR and a 135mm Hanimex lens. You see it’s not the camera you have in your hands that creates a picture, but that which is in your heart and eye. In my yearly day’s of making pictures it was things like this that caught my eye, one I wish I was still able to make. One day I’ll go back to Wales with a Leica and just shoot pictures again.
New Project
I have started a new project on portraiture, here are a couple from a recent shoot I done of the Central Coast Ice Hockey, Stiff Breeze Team.
