Experiment & Practice

As part of my Arts Council England DYCP activity I am experimenting and practising to develop my photography skills.

Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 MkIII
Lenses: M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR, M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F4‑5.6 R ​
Other kit: Lightweight tripod - Manfrotto Element MII
Style: Natural or ambient light, minimal digital editing

The Bookbinder

Olympus E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR
1/160 sec f/10 37mm
​iso 3200
Unedited (apart from colour in black & white version)
Exploring the effects of colour on the narrative of an image.
I am often biased towards monochrome photographs.  I always thought that this was mainly driven by nostalgia.  However, removing colour from a picture draws out the texture and tone.  In this image of Jim, the bookbinder I think I actually prefer the colour version.  There is a warmth in the muted colours and I feel the heat of the studio through the tanned body and hint of perspiration.  I like how the colours of the skin are echoed in the marbling of the book.  I also think the eye contact above the slightly skewed glasses adds intimacy to the image.  The direct gaze and the way Jim is holding the book appear to declare a pride in the careful work which went into making this cloth bound notebook.

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The New Hat

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR
1/4000 f4.2 22mm, iso 3200
Unedited (apart from cropping)
Using natural light for aesthetic effect, experimenting with light/shade, exploring colour
There is something magical about late afternoon summer sunlight. Dorothy got a new hat and recently dyed her hair. I wanted to explore ways of telling the story of a young woman, full of summer light and adventure, looking forward to the world opening up post-Covid.

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR
​Unedited (apart from a small spot fix on 2 & 3)
Left image: 1/4000 sec, f9, 42mm, iso 3200
Centre image: 1/4000 sec, f9, 42mm, iso 3200
Right image: 1/4000 sec, f9, 42mm, iso 3200
​Using light & shadow, looking away/engaging with the camera
I love the way, in the first of these three shots, how the brim of the hat frames the face. I like that the light and shade halve the face but as the photographer, looking at the light and colour it's easy to miss the odd shadow cast by the nose. If it wasn't for this, I think this would have been my favourite of the three. The second image makes the most of the soft, orange evening light but I like the third image best, looking directly at the camera. It was a natural smile, which followed a few 'say cheese' grins and is much more endearing for its authenticity.

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR
​Unedited (apart from cropping)
left image: 1/1250 sec, f/11, 42mm, ​iso 3200
right image: 1/640 sec, f/22, 42mm, iso 3200
​In these two images, I have used the light in different ways to highlight the face. The shade from Dorothy's hand makes a sharp, angular shadow which contrasts with the softness of her features and brings out the bright red and blue of hair and eye. In the second picture I have used the natural, soft shadows of the garden trees as a mask to highlight the face.

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR
Unedited
​1/1250 sec, f/18, 42mm, iso 3200​
​I call this an 'in-betweeny' shot.  I use motor drive (sequential shooting) when taking photographs of people as expressions can change in a split second.  This is a shot in between the subject moving from one pose to another.  I think the candid nature of the image lends it a natural sweetness.  

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The Care Home

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko 14-42mm IIR
Unedited
f/4, 1/60 sec, 17mm, iso 1000
This is a picture of my Dad and my sister at my Dad's care home.  I had not planned to base any of my practice or projects on the pandemic but I have decided to share this very personal image.  I feel it is representative of the sadness and anguish felt by many families who have been experiencing a physical contact vacuum during the Covid-19 pandemic.  The visual story is a melancholy one but there are touches of lightness. My Dad was a successful freelance photographer and professional jazz trumpeter for most of his life.  His New York Mets sweatshirt is a souvenir of a trip to the United States some years ago.  His hat, one used as mute for his trumpet.  He loves liquorice allsorts and told us, in the few words he spoke that day, that the bobbly ones are his favourites.  With a squeeze of the hand through surgical gloves, we left him listening to Fats Waller on his record player, taking him to a place of love, laughter, passion and stomping rhythms.

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Women's Football

​Roger Bonaparte, manager of Bideford AFC Women, invited me to their final pre-season friendly match against Liskeard Athletic Women FC.  This was a great chance for me to practice my sports photography in preparation for the Grassroots Girls Football project.  Great light, lots of action and a good opportunity to try out my new lens.

Click here for match photos

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F4‑5.6 R
Unedited
1/1000 sec. f/10 150 mm ISO 200

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F4‑5.6 R
Unedited
​Left image - f/7.1 1/250 sec 53 mm ISO 200
​Right image -  f/6.3 1/250 sec 49 mm ISO 200

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F4‑5.6 R
​Unedited
​f/11 1/640 sec 40 mm ISO 200

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F4‑5.6 R
Unedited
​f/10 1/800 sec 89mm ISO 200

​Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III
​M.Zuiko Digital ED 40‑150mm F4‑5.6 R
Unedited
​f/10 1/800 sec 150mm ISO 200