Ink Deep

So this was probably the hardest one for me so far.  Tasked with 'street photography', our goal was to take images on busy streets of people.  We had multiple ways of doing this, getting in peoples faces, taking pictures of social scenes, and asking people to pose were the most talked about methods.  In addition to this, I had a problem with my camera, which has a varying 5 second (approx) delay on it.  Meaning instantaneous shots were not only hard, but impossible.  It felt like a significant handicap in this one, and as such, I opted not to rush up to people.  Basically, if people got upset or objected, I'd be punched before the camera went off.  In attention, I'd loose the element of surprise, and I'd miss the genuine surprise or reaction we were hoping for.  Below are my favourite images I gathered on a trip to Edinburgh's city centre. This is the first image I took, and I really like the atmosphere in it.  The young couple passed me...

Katsushika Hokusai is a Japanese painter and printer from the Edo period.  Born in 1760 in Edo (now Tokyo), Hokusai learned to paint and woodcraft through his father, who made and carved mirror for Japan's elite.  He would become known as the authority for Chinese painting in his lifetime, and his famous prints are recognised worldwide.  He died on May 10th 1849.  Most famous for his coloured Japanese woodprints of Mount Fuji and great waves, Hokusai's prints stand out with vivid colours and really draw the eye. The Great Wave off Kanagawa  (1829-1833) is arguably Hokusai's most recognised work.  The first in this series entitled Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji , it utilises Japanese woodprinting.  The method involves placing a drawing on top of a wooden block and carving into the wood to create a print for each colour used in the image.  The Great Wave uses only three colours, yet appears to contain more.  I love the imagery of this piec...

Our second assignment, this one with the theme of 'Bird's eye view'.  This one posed a rather difficult challenge, as my first instinct was to get as high as I could to get a top down view of a large area.  However, that was easier said than done.  As before, we could interrupt this any way we'd like, so I tried a few different things. Upwards  is not a literal bird's eye view.  My intention was to mimic someone looking up at the sky wishing they could fly.  The bright blue sky and blinding sun contribute to an idealistic image of what flight might be like.  Flight is a unique advantage that birds have over us, and I don't think it's uncommon for us to envy that ability.  This image is meant to be a tribute to those aspirations. This time a literal interruption of 'Bird's eye view', Steps  looks down on a stairway as someone walks underneath.  I love the pattern the shadows created through the railings.  I also think the w...

Having only recently delved into the world of printmaking, one thing that has immediately jumped out at me is the sheer diversity of art that it can produce.  From simple geometric shapes and designs, to intensely detailed landscapes.  In the following weeks, I'll look at some artists who peak my interest in printmaking and try to explain why. The first of these artists is Norman Ackroyd.  Ackroyd is known for his landscapes, utilising both monoprinting, etching and water colours.  Born in Leeds 1938, Ackroyd studied at the Royal College of Art in London before working in both the US and UK.  He spent a great deal of his life teaching, taking a particular focus in etching. From Malin Head, Tory Island (2009)(displayed above) is one of his prints that I personally find the most appealing.  Done using a combination of monoprinting and etching, the landscape shows Tory Island on a overcast day.  I love the atmosphere of this print.  The use o...

Our first photography assignment!  How did it go?  Not great.  Our task was to take five photographs for the theme of 'Reflection'.  I've compiled my favourite five from the ones I took.  So what did I come up with? I called this picture 'The Hardest Part'.  Which has two meanings.  Firstly, it was my first one.  And the first step is often the hardest.  The second reason was because this image really reminds me of the sensation of waiting, be it in a hospital waiting room, or wherever.  I think the clinical white colours contribute to that.  This one was not my best, but it was an important first step.  I can be scared to take that first leap, and I need to learn to embrace things a little more.  I'm sure that'll be a common theme throughout my posts.  In terms of reflection, this was really more a test to see what I, and the camera were capable of.  The geometric shapes, the rectangles and the circular ...