Photography
My photography
I use photography to show something about where I’ve been or people whom I’ve met. As well as trying to see the beauty in a scene or situation, I’m also trying to convey ideas and feelings. My photography is about me and what I do, who I meet and where I go. All my photography tries to be contemporary and creative. I’m resistant to being fitted in to a taxonomy by categorisation such as “travel” or “conceptual” or “nature”. All image-making is political simply by the act of selection and hence exclusion but I am not campaigning for any particular point of view, except to try to see the positives and to live life to the full.
I use 645, 35mm and DX formats plus a handy little digital compact that shoots RAW files. I’ve experimented with non-lens photography - do ask!
I first worked in a monochrome/silver wet darkroom at age 7, helping my Father with scientific prints; I’ve used colour negative materials since age 21 and digital since 2005. I use Photoshop (Adobe) and Photopaint (Corel).
You'll have to imagine the girders of the railway bridge over the Rhône here at Arles as it hasn't been reinstated after being blown in World War Two. You could equally imagine the Roman river crossing here, a large number of boats were lashed together with a pathway precariously proceeding across. The lions atop the piers recall other (permanent) Roman bridges in the area such as the Pont Flavain at St Chamas.
The barge cruising empty downstream the heavy river flow looks capable of carrying at least 32 containers, which saves at least 32 articulated lorries from the roads along this route.
Maybe this isn't entirely the meaning of “Conceptual Photography” although Arles is home to the renowned Rencontres d'Arles formerly known as the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie d'Arles) as well as the highly-regarded L'Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie - ENSP.
Tahitian dancers from the group Hei Show Tamure perform to live Polynesian music in the Espace des Libertés, Aubagne. A charity event arranged by the association Mareva Maohi in support of prevention of cancer.
Shadows now almost vertical as we near the summer solstice.
Great to be reminded of my adventures in the Marquises Islands, French Polynesia
Lunch time in the pretty port of Cassis: a classic retreat to the Mediterranean sunshine from storms further north. This should be about a sit-down meal at a harbour-side restaurant featuring seafood or Provençal cuisine. Increasingly the French tourists appear to be abandoning to the foreign tourists the over-priced restaurants serving “prettied up peasant food” (like Soupe de Poissons or Bouillabaisse) and themselves settling down to a rather cheaper picnic direct from the boulangerie artisanale.
View of dawn over the river Saône at Macon, a major tributary to the Rhône. Our motel room and terrace opened directly on to the river banks: it's surprisingly reassuring the way a major river “just keeps on rolling” past. The textures of the surface constantly changing but always moving steadily and incessantly downstream. Local wine excellent... we chose and enjoyed a bottle of Azé (Maconnais) as we had driven amongst the vineyeards.
The British weather knows what is expected of it for a Bank Holiday!
(With apologies to E. H. Shepard's drawing of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh staring out of a window laden with rain drops).
