Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Images of people taken from above inspired by the work of Henri Caritier Bresson.
I was fortunate to spend the weekend of 24th - 26th September in London and visited three exhibitions: Exposed at Tate Modern, Eadweard Muybridge at Tate Britain and the International Garden Photographer of the Year at Kew Gardens. One aspect of Exposed that interested me were the photgraphs taken when the subject was unaware but taken from above. These were by Henri Cartier Bresson in particular but Andre Kertesz also took pictures of people whilst looking down on them for his work on Reading. This inspired me to try similar photographs while in Covent Garden. Some of the results are included here.
Exhibition Visit - Exposed, Tate Modern 24.9.10
I found this exhibition interesting as it had a bearing on the sunbject of this course - People and Place, especially the section People Unaware. When I was taking photographs for Exercise 15, Public Space Public Activity, my family found my photography somewhat embarassing expecting me to have some complaints.
Since its invention, the camera has been used to make images surreptitiously and satisfy the desire to see what is hidden. Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera examines photography's role in voyeuristic looking from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present day. It includes pictures taken by professional photographers and artists, but also images made without our knowledge on a daily basis through the proliferation of CCTV.
The exhibition is divided into five thematic sections: The Unseen Photographer, Celebrity and the Public Gaze, Voyeurism and Desire, Witnessing Violence, and Surveillance. In each case, the nature and character of invasive looking is evident not only in the images themselves, but also in the ways in which the viewer is implicated in acts of voyeurism. Rather than blame the camera for showing illicit or forbidden material, Exposed explores the uneasy relationship between making and viewing images that deliberately cross lines of privacy and propriety.
In Room 1 I enjoyed looking at the pictures by Philp-Lorca diCorcia's Heads which were taken on the streets of New York in 2000 without he subjects knowledge using cameras and flash hidden in a scaffold. As well as being taken surrepticiously these images were also attractive. I liked the backlighting. Interestingly legal action was taken against him. This did result in a landmark ruling giving the artist rights over the subject.
In Room 2 I found the two images by Paul Strand - Man and Woman - taken in 1916. Despite beeing taken unaware they have an intimacy and show expressions of hopelessness and resignation.
Room 3 presented work by some of the twentieth century's most important photographers. In each case they exploit the camera's ability to create images without the knowledge of their subjects. I like the work of Henri Cartier Bresson and was interested in the way that he photographed people from above to great visual effect. I especially liked his photograph of the cyclist taken in 1932. Not only was the subject unaware and taken from above it captures the moment just before he disappears and also shows appropriate movement blur. During the weekend I visited Covent Garden and enjoyed trying to take similar images from above while the subjects were dining and unaware. Andre Kertesz also took people unaware from above in his work on Reading.I liked Dorothea Lange's 1933 photo White Angel Breadline. Each photographer had his own preferred technique. In Women lost in Thought from 1950, for example, Harry Callahan preset the focus and aperture only making his exposure at the last moment. Other photographers with these lightening fast reactions included Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand and Robert Frank.
Rooms 1-3 largely feature photographs of people unaware that they are being taken. They therefore have natural expressions and often show real poverty with resigned expressions. This is portayal of everyday life. The work is either for the photographer or taken for soacila documentary reasons.
In the next section in Room 4, Celebrity and the Public Gaze, I feel that the reason for taking the images changes from the last section. Here the photographs are taken to satisfy public curiousity as with today's paparazzi. The tension between the photographer and the famous person - who desires both privacy and publicity, and whose personna depends on a kind of notoriety - is often evident in the photograph. I felt that the subjects often look angry and haunted. I enjoyed Weegee's image from the 1950s of Marylin Monroe standing over a grating with her dress blowing up. I can imagine she was less than pleased!
In Voyeurism and desire I feel that many of the images are designed to titillate and place the viewer in the role of Peeping Tom. Room 8 had a slide show by Nan Goldin The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. I thought that this engendered a feeling of tawdriness and unpleasantness. I couldn't help but comapare this work to some of that of Robert Mapplethorpe whose images are beautifully lit and composed even if not to everyone's taste. I felt that Nan Goldin's work was more snapshots - but what do I know??? I did hear a comment by another couple as they came out suggesting that it 'unglamourised sex' but maybe that was Nan Goldin's aim. If it was she certainly succeded in my opinion. I couldn't help but wonder why her sunbjects wanted to be photographed in such situations and also wondered who would want to look at them. Dis her subjects realise that the images would be made public? What does the photographer get out of this? Hate her work or love it this part of the exhibition did promote the most discussion between my wife and myself - so perhaps Nan Goldin has been successful.
Witnessing Violence. Images of violence raise numerous questions. Who should look at them? Can we justify intruding upon another's death? Can photography allow us to responsibly bear withness to a victim's suffering or does it anaesthetise us to it's horrors.
Since its invention, the camera has been used to make images surreptitiously and satisfy the desire to see what is hidden. Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera examines photography's role in voyeuristic looking from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present day. It includes pictures taken by professional photographers and artists, but also images made without our knowledge on a daily basis through the proliferation of CCTV.
The exhibition is divided into five thematic sections: The Unseen Photographer, Celebrity and the Public Gaze, Voyeurism and Desire, Witnessing Violence, and Surveillance. In each case, the nature and character of invasive looking is evident not only in the images themselves, but also in the ways in which the viewer is implicated in acts of voyeurism. Rather than blame the camera for showing illicit or forbidden material, Exposed explores the uneasy relationship between making and viewing images that deliberately cross lines of privacy and propriety.
In Room 1 I enjoyed looking at the pictures by Philp-Lorca diCorcia's Heads which were taken on the streets of New York in 2000 without he subjects knowledge using cameras and flash hidden in a scaffold. As well as being taken surrepticiously these images were also attractive. I liked the backlighting. Interestingly legal action was taken against him. This did result in a landmark ruling giving the artist rights over the subject.
In Room 2 I found the two images by Paul Strand - Man and Woman - taken in 1916. Despite beeing taken unaware they have an intimacy and show expressions of hopelessness and resignation.
Room 3 presented work by some of the twentieth century's most important photographers. In each case they exploit the camera's ability to create images without the knowledge of their subjects. I like the work of Henri Cartier Bresson and was interested in the way that he photographed people from above to great visual effect. I especially liked his photograph of the cyclist taken in 1932. Not only was the subject unaware and taken from above it captures the moment just before he disappears and also shows appropriate movement blur. During the weekend I visited Covent Garden and enjoyed trying to take similar images from above while the subjects were dining and unaware. Andre Kertesz also took people unaware from above in his work on Reading.I liked Dorothea Lange's 1933 photo White Angel Breadline. Each photographer had his own preferred technique. In Women lost in Thought from 1950, for example, Harry Callahan preset the focus and aperture only making his exposure at the last moment. Other photographers with these lightening fast reactions included Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand and Robert Frank.
Rooms 1-3 largely feature photographs of people unaware that they are being taken. They therefore have natural expressions and often show real poverty with resigned expressions. This is portayal of everyday life. The work is either for the photographer or taken for soacila documentary reasons.
In the next section in Room 4, Celebrity and the Public Gaze, I feel that the reason for taking the images changes from the last section. Here the photographs are taken to satisfy public curiousity as with today's paparazzi. The tension between the photographer and the famous person - who desires both privacy and publicity, and whose personna depends on a kind of notoriety - is often evident in the photograph. I felt that the subjects often look angry and haunted. I enjoyed Weegee's image from the 1950s of Marylin Monroe standing over a grating with her dress blowing up. I can imagine she was less than pleased!
In Voyeurism and desire I feel that many of the images are designed to titillate and place the viewer in the role of Peeping Tom. Room 8 had a slide show by Nan Goldin The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. I thought that this engendered a feeling of tawdriness and unpleasantness. I couldn't help but comapare this work to some of that of Robert Mapplethorpe whose images are beautifully lit and composed even if not to everyone's taste. I felt that Nan Goldin's work was more snapshots - but what do I know??? I did hear a comment by another couple as they came out suggesting that it 'unglamourised sex' but maybe that was Nan Goldin's aim. If it was she certainly succeded in my opinion. I couldn't help but wonder why her sunbjects wanted to be photographed in such situations and also wondered who would want to look at them. Dis her subjects realise that the images would be made public? What does the photographer get out of this? Hate her work or love it this part of the exhibition did promote the most discussion between my wife and myself - so perhaps Nan Goldin has been successful.
Witnessing Violence. Images of violence raise numerous questions. Who should look at them? Can we justify intruding upon another's death? Can photography allow us to responsibly bear withness to a victim's suffering or does it anaesthetise us to it's horrors.
Monday, 20 September 2010
Using Fill-in Flash in Wildlife Photography
My passion in photography is for wildlife photography. This summer I have been concentration on taking pictures of insects, especially dragonflies and butterflies. In my macro work I usually use fill-in flash set to -2/3. This gives that bit of sparkle and lightens up the shadows. I include 4 examples below but many more can be found on my website in the Latest Images section of the gallery pages at mikepickwellwildimages .
Informal portraits taken whilst on a holiday with friends during June.
Earlier this summer we enjoyed a large extended family holiday with two other families. I used the opportunity to practise photographing people. All are informal taken either with a 17-85mm lens or a 100-400 one. Taking account of my tutor's comments in my assignments I have also experimented with fill-in flash and I have indicated which images these are.
Fill-in flash was used on the above two shots.
This picture was taken using flash
Fill-in flash used
I used fill-in flash of this shot of Steve juggling in order to reduce the effects of contrasty sunlight.
Again I used fill-in flash for this photograph of my son and daughter.
I used fill-in flash in this shot of Linda and Steve and in the one below of their son David.
Some of the above shots were taken during the day in harsh sunlight. I found that, by using fill-in flash I could reduce the effects of the harsh contrasty light.
Fill-in flash was used on the above two shots.
This picture was taken using flash
Fill-in flash used
I used fill-in flash of this shot of Steve juggling in order to reduce the effects of contrasty sunlight.
Again I used fill-in flash for this photograph of my son and daughter.
I used fill-in flash in this shot of Linda and Steve and in the one below of their son David.
Some of the above shots were taken during the day in harsh sunlight. I found that, by using fill-in flash I could reduce the effects of the harsh contrasty light.
In many of the shots the subject is not looking directly at the camera - an effect I like.
Exhibition - Edward Weston: Life Work, Edinburgh, 19th August
Edward Weston is widely recognised as one of the masters of 20th century photography. This exhibition is the largest ever to visit the UK and it presents a survey of his career. I was delighted to find it on as part of the Edinburgh festival when we visited our son in August. It was divided into sections representing his different styles and includes some of his best known iconic images.
His most famous photographs of the 1920s are still lifes of sea shells such as the ones above of Nautilus shells. The lighting of these shells is superb and like some of the portrait photographers I have commented on earlier I love the contrasty black and white effect and the rich black backgrounds.
A lot of his work features vegetables and the image above Pepper No. 30, 1930 is perhaps the most famous pepper in the history of photography. Again the lighting is superb and the organic curves are reminiscent of the human form. It reminds me somewhat of a rear view of Rodin's sculpture The Thinker.
The Swiss Chard, 1927 is another example of his work on vegetables.
Weston went through two phases in his landscape photography, starting from the view that in order for an artist to make a proper landscape, he must choose the elements of nature that he wished to include. This early example of Shell and Rock Arrangement brings to mind a montage that might have been done today in Photoshop.
From the beginning of his career, Weston photographed nudes. In order to create photographs which have a timeless quality, Weston made sure not to show any birthmarks, scars and especially the face of his model. I find this of interest as during this course my emphasis seems to have been on showing the faces of subjects although I do like portraits when the subject is looking away from the camera and not always directly into the lens.
His most famous photographs of the 1920s are still lifes of sea shells such as the ones above of Nautilus shells. The lighting of these shells is superb and like some of the portrait photographers I have commented on earlier I love the contrasty black and white effect and the rich black backgrounds.
A lot of his work features vegetables and the image above Pepper No. 30, 1930 is perhaps the most famous pepper in the history of photography. Again the lighting is superb and the organic curves are reminiscent of the human form. It reminds me somewhat of a rear view of Rodin's sculpture The Thinker.
The Swiss Chard, 1927 is another example of his work on vegetables.
Weston went through two phases in his landscape photography, starting from the view that in order for an artist to make a proper landscape, he must choose the elements of nature that he wished to include. This early example of Shell and Rock Arrangement brings to mind a montage that might have been done today in Photoshop.From the beginning of his career, Weston photographed nudes. In order to create photographs which have a timeless quality, Weston made sure not to show any birthmarks, scars and especially the face of his model. I find this of interest as during this course my emphasis seems to have been on showing the faces of subjects although I do like portraits when the subject is looking away from the camera and not always directly into the lens.Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Assignment 4: A Sense of Place
For this assignment I decided on using Cleethorpes near where I live. Over the years I have got to know Cleethorpes well and spend a great deal of time there pursuing my interests of bird watching and wildlife photography.
I have included here the complete shortlist of images for this assignment. The first 7 are my final selection and the ones I have submitted to my tutor.
No seaside resort would be complete without its donkey rides. This was an image I thought I might not be able to capture so early in the year but I was fortunate that early March was sunny, if not particularly warm. I have deliberately placed the pier in the background to the picture to place it in Cleethorpes.
I have included this picture because it is a link to Cleethorpes emergence during the Victorian era. The building was originally built by the railway company and was the restroom for passengers using the station. It is now a fish and chip restaurant and takeaway and the ‘chef’ has recently won a ‘fish fryer of the year’ award. I like the way this picture links the past and the present and shows not only people enjoying their traditional seaside fish and chips but also people enjoying the sun on the promenade.
No set of photographs of a seaside resort would be complete without one of the pier and Cleethorpes is no different. I took this picture at sunrise early one Sunday morning just before it began to snow. The wonderful colours lasted for only a brief time before the snow clouds swept in from behind me.
The quieter south end of Cleethorpes is a popular venue for water sports such as kite surfing, buggying and windsurfing. I was pleased to get this picture on a clear day of strong winds and cropped the image so that the kite, surfer and kite lines form a diagonal line across the photo.
The east coast has problems with coastal erosion and deposition and it is no different at Cleethorpes where groynes have been built in an attempt to ease the problem. I like this old weathered and barnacled construction and was pleased to get the gull sitting on top of the buoy. I am also pleased with the reflection in the water and framed the image to include the lighthouse at Spurn Point in the distance. I also like the two tiny figures in the distance.
The south end of the beach is much quieter and I was out one evening on a stormy day hoping for a sunset with big skies and clouds. I liked the way the sun setting in the west lit up the storm clouds driving across the Humber estuary. I used the fence to lead the eye into the picture and towards the town on the distant horizon.
At the southern extreme of Cleethorpes the beach blends into Salt marsh which is preserved as an RSPB reserve. This is one of my favourite areas for wildlife photography. The Humber Estuary is well known for its wintering flocks of wild fowl and waders. On large spring tides thousands of birds are driven off the beach and mudflats and wheel in the air in huge flocks as they search for roosting areas to wait out the high tide before they can begin the all important task of feeding again. This is my favourite Cleethorpes a wild evocative area redolent with the cries of curlew, redshank and oystercatcher – a complete contrast to the busy seaside resort only a mile or two away.
The remaining photographs are those that were shortlisted but didn't make the final selection for a variety of reasons.
One day whilst out looking for pictures for the assignment, I came across two teenage boys performing amazing acrobatics. On engaging them in conversation I discovered that they were members of a local Parcours Team. They were only too pleased for me to photograph them. I cropped this picture so that the lad was moving into the frame. On the skyline can be seen one of the first world war forts. There were two and they had anti submarine nets slung between them.
One very popular feature of Cleethorpes is the light railway that runs along the seafront. Here it leaves the station in full steam with the two drivers fully concentrating.
Another photograph of the pier. I like the sky in this shot and the way that the sun has caught the pier. I would have liked there to be more light on the foreground however.
Another photograph taken at sunrise close to the pier with the wonderful presnow colours suffusing the whole image. If I hadn't used the one of the pier in the same light this one would have made it. I have placed the horizon on a third and the jetty on another third.
Grimsby Dock Tower, adjacent to North Cleethorpes foreshore is a famous landmark both from the sea and the land. I took this picture at sunset earlier this year. I would have liked to have been able to take it later in the year when the sun sets behind the tower. I am pleased with the reflections in the wet mud. Care needs to be taken here - I nearly lost my boots (and camera and tripod in the soft mud!). I shall return.
A typical Cleethorpes scene - visitors eating fish and chips out of the bag on the sea front. I was attracted by this man's colourful coat but was unable to get a shot more 'face on'.
I like the shot of this jetty but felt it too similar to the groyne shot that I put in the final selection. I think that the young boy looking out to sea at the ship completes the image.
The south beach at Cleethorpes is very popular for walking dogs as well as kiting. The dog walkers make a clourful foreground and Spurn Point can be seen in the background.
Another sunset shot of the south Cleethorpes beach. I love the storm clouds reflecting the light of the setting sun.
I was pleased with this shot of a kiter on a buggy rather than kite surfing. The picture was taken on a calm day . It would have been nice to see him straining against a strong wind.
This was a shot I have been trying for for some time. I like the way the gulls line up along the railings on the sea front. It might have made the final selection had I not used another to depict the birdlife.
The final two shots are again of the thousands of waders wheeling in the sky at high spring tide.
I have included here the complete shortlist of images for this assignment. The first 7 are my final selection and the ones I have submitted to my tutor.
No seaside resort would be complete without its donkey rides. This was an image I thought I might not be able to capture so early in the year but I was fortunate that early March was sunny, if not particularly warm. I have deliberately placed the pier in the background to the picture to place it in Cleethorpes.
I have included this picture because it is a link to Cleethorpes emergence during the Victorian era. The building was originally built by the railway company and was the restroom for passengers using the station. It is now a fish and chip restaurant and takeaway and the ‘chef’ has recently won a ‘fish fryer of the year’ award. I like the way this picture links the past and the present and shows not only people enjoying their traditional seaside fish and chips but also people enjoying the sun on the promenade.
No set of photographs of a seaside resort would be complete without one of the pier and Cleethorpes is no different. I took this picture at sunrise early one Sunday morning just before it began to snow. The wonderful colours lasted for only a brief time before the snow clouds swept in from behind me.
The quieter south end of Cleethorpes is a popular venue for water sports such as kite surfing, buggying and windsurfing. I was pleased to get this picture on a clear day of strong winds and cropped the image so that the kite, surfer and kite lines form a diagonal line across the photo.
The east coast has problems with coastal erosion and deposition and it is no different at Cleethorpes where groynes have been built in an attempt to ease the problem. I like this old weathered and barnacled construction and was pleased to get the gull sitting on top of the buoy. I am also pleased with the reflection in the water and framed the image to include the lighthouse at Spurn Point in the distance. I also like the two tiny figures in the distance.
The south end of the beach is much quieter and I was out one evening on a stormy day hoping for a sunset with big skies and clouds. I liked the way the sun setting in the west lit up the storm clouds driving across the Humber estuary. I used the fence to lead the eye into the picture and towards the town on the distant horizon.
At the southern extreme of Cleethorpes the beach blends into Salt marsh which is preserved as an RSPB reserve. This is one of my favourite areas for wildlife photography. The Humber Estuary is well known for its wintering flocks of wild fowl and waders. On large spring tides thousands of birds are driven off the beach and mudflats and wheel in the air in huge flocks as they search for roosting areas to wait out the high tide before they can begin the all important task of feeding again. This is my favourite Cleethorpes a wild evocative area redolent with the cries of curlew, redshank and oystercatcher – a complete contrast to the busy seaside resort only a mile or two away.
The remaining photographs are those that were shortlisted but didn't make the final selection for a variety of reasons.
One day whilst out looking for pictures for the assignment, I came across two teenage boys performing amazing acrobatics. On engaging them in conversation I discovered that they were members of a local Parcours Team. They were only too pleased for me to photograph them. I cropped this picture so that the lad was moving into the frame. On the skyline can be seen one of the first world war forts. There were two and they had anti submarine nets slung between them.
One very popular feature of Cleethorpes is the light railway that runs along the seafront. Here it leaves the station in full steam with the two drivers fully concentrating.
Another photograph of the pier. I like the sky in this shot and the way that the sun has caught the pier. I would have liked there to be more light on the foreground however.
Another photograph taken at sunrise close to the pier with the wonderful presnow colours suffusing the whole image. If I hadn't used the one of the pier in the same light this one would have made it. I have placed the horizon on a third and the jetty on another third.
Grimsby Dock Tower, adjacent to North Cleethorpes foreshore is a famous landmark both from the sea and the land. I took this picture at sunset earlier this year. I would have liked to have been able to take it later in the year when the sun sets behind the tower. I am pleased with the reflections in the wet mud. Care needs to be taken here - I nearly lost my boots (and camera and tripod in the soft mud!). I shall return.
A typical Cleethorpes scene - visitors eating fish and chips out of the bag on the sea front. I was attracted by this man's colourful coat but was unable to get a shot more 'face on'.
I like the shot of this jetty but felt it too similar to the groyne shot that I put in the final selection. I think that the young boy looking out to sea at the ship completes the image.
The south beach at Cleethorpes is very popular for walking dogs as well as kiting. The dog walkers make a clourful foreground and Spurn Point can be seen in the background.
Another sunset shot of the south Cleethorpes beach. I love the storm clouds reflecting the light of the setting sun.
I was pleased with this shot of a kiter on a buggy rather than kite surfing. The picture was taken on a calm day . It would have been nice to see him straining against a strong wind.
This was a shot I have been trying for for some time. I like the way the gulls line up along the railings on the sea front. It might have made the final selection had I not used another to depict the birdlife.
The final two shots are again of the thousands of waders wheeling in the sky at high spring tide.
Travel Photography
For Assignment 4 I decided to research some travel photographers. I began by looking at last year's winners of The Travel Photographer of the Year competition. http://www.tpoty.com/2009/winners/gallerytpoty2009.html#tpoty
I love the black and white portraits of the winner of the Young Travel Photographer of the Year, Courtney Krawec, in particular the first moody shot of the young girl. The detail in the face and the texture of the head shawl is amazing. In the People of the World Portfolio, Martin Edstom's mountain shot with the village huddled at the bottom of the peaks against the sea is stunning. I love the way the light catches the village. Lasse Damgaard's black and white portraits are also fabulous. Craig Churchill's polar bears also caught my attention. I agree with the judges' comment that these are more gritty images which makes a change from the cuddly toy shot which is very popular (not that I wouldn't mind the opportunity to get one of those too!!!) Daisy Gilardini's white on white shots are also eycatching and unlike the gritty polar bears the penguin parents and chick by Sue Flood are eycatchingly cute. I really like the framing of her shot of a penguin through an archway of ice. The colour of the ice is stunning and the shot shows that the subject doesn't have to be large in the frame to be a winner. Louis Montrose's back and white landscapes are amazing; they are reminiscent of Ansel Adams. I particularly like the second one with the complicated interlinked rock patterns. Cropping in close has made the picture for me. I agree with the judges comment on the portfolio of Poras Chaudhary from India where they comment on the way that he has captured the vibrant life and vivd colours of the country. My attention was caught by Ron Tear's unusual shots of the Millenium Bridge in London and I have a similar shot of the empty Turbine Hall at Tate Modern although in colour! The lighting on Craig Easton's Homeland shot is tremendous. I wonder how long he waited for that! Finally I love the slow shutter speed effect of Tareq Alhamrani's image of a big wheel.
I first came across Paul Harris through his work in Outdoor Photography Magazine.
http://www.paulharrisphotography.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
Since becoming a freelance photographer in 1990, Paul has travelled and photographed extensively around the world. His most recent expedition assignments took him by camel through the Western Sahara and a journey across the Central Asian Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Conservation and the environment have long been close to his heart and three assignments in 2006/7 took him to Fiji and The Philippines for Coral Cay Conservation, South Africa and Kenya for I to I, Tanzania and Peru for Earthwatch.
I like all of his work but particularly enjoyed his images of Ladakh. I love mountains and had a great time trekking in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco but Ladakh is so much more exotic.
I have also consulted National Geographic magazine and looked at the work of some of the photographers featured in their pages.
I have looked at and enjoyed the work of :
Peter Essick http://www.rayoflightphotographs.com/
Tyrone Turner http://www.tyronefoto.com/index.html
Michael Yamashita http://www.michaelyamashita.com/
Matt Moyer http://www.mattmoyer.com/
Mel White http://www.melwhitephoto.com/home.html
Flip Nicklin http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photographers/photographer-flip-nicklin/
I love the black and white portraits of the winner of the Young Travel Photographer of the Year, Courtney Krawec, in particular the first moody shot of the young girl. The detail in the face and the texture of the head shawl is amazing. In the People of the World Portfolio, Martin Edstom's mountain shot with the village huddled at the bottom of the peaks against the sea is stunning. I love the way the light catches the village. Lasse Damgaard's black and white portraits are also fabulous. Craig Churchill's polar bears also caught my attention. I agree with the judges' comment that these are more gritty images which makes a change from the cuddly toy shot which is very popular (not that I wouldn't mind the opportunity to get one of those too!!!) Daisy Gilardini's white on white shots are also eycatching and unlike the gritty polar bears the penguin parents and chick by Sue Flood are eycatchingly cute. I really like the framing of her shot of a penguin through an archway of ice. The colour of the ice is stunning and the shot shows that the subject doesn't have to be large in the frame to be a winner. Louis Montrose's back and white landscapes are amazing; they are reminiscent of Ansel Adams. I particularly like the second one with the complicated interlinked rock patterns. Cropping in close has made the picture for me. I agree with the judges comment on the portfolio of Poras Chaudhary from India where they comment on the way that he has captured the vibrant life and vivd colours of the country. My attention was caught by Ron Tear's unusual shots of the Millenium Bridge in London and I have a similar shot of the empty Turbine Hall at Tate Modern although in colour! The lighting on Craig Easton's Homeland shot is tremendous. I wonder how long he waited for that! Finally I love the slow shutter speed effect of Tareq Alhamrani's image of a big wheel.
I first came across Paul Harris through his work in Outdoor Photography Magazine.
http://www.paulharrisphotography.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
Since becoming a freelance photographer in 1990, Paul has travelled and photographed extensively around the world. His most recent expedition assignments took him by camel through the Western Sahara and a journey across the Central Asian Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Conservation and the environment have long been close to his heart and three assignments in 2006/7 took him to Fiji and The Philippines for Coral Cay Conservation, South Africa and Kenya for I to I, Tanzania and Peru for Earthwatch.
I like all of his work but particularly enjoyed his images of Ladakh. I love mountains and had a great time trekking in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco but Ladakh is so much more exotic.
I have also consulted National Geographic magazine and looked at the work of some of the photographers featured in their pages.
I have looked at and enjoyed the work of :
Peter Essick http://www.rayoflightphotographs.com/
Tyrone Turner http://www.tyronefoto.com/index.html
Michael Yamashita http://www.michaelyamashita.com/
Matt Moyer http://www.mattmoyer.com/
Mel White http://www.melwhitephoto.com/home.html
Flip Nicklin http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photographers/photographer-flip-nicklin/
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