Other things in my life

Now I am coming to the end of my second Open College of the Arts course I am thinking whether I want to start another one straight away. I feel I have gained a grounding in photography and perhaps can make my own way for a while. I also want to explore my other creative skills. The internet via flickr and blogs are a constant source of inspiration so at the moment I have many avenues to explore. I have started to keep an "Art Journal" which is really a sketch book-come-art diary, but with more completed works than a sketch book alone. There seem to be thousand of Art Journal keepers across the net. I have found it a great way to be able to experiment with ideas and by doing it in various books I am not left with umpteen pieces of art work to store. Also with a freestanding piece of work there is the question of whether it is worthy of framing and hanging whereas that never arises when it is in a book. Often in a journal the artwork is combined with words. some people use theirs as a diary to record their lives, others as a means of expressions. So I shall see, I haven't got to decide about OCA yet - just follow the flow.

Final Portfolio - Autumn

This group is probably my weakest as I did not go out enough last autumn and take seasonal photographa as I was concentrating on my other assignment - so this selection does not fit quite as well, but unless I wait another 4 months to finish this course, these will have to do!

Rather cliched autumn scene

Rather like this little thatched summerhouse in th local park

Sunset from the Clappers - managed to find one suitable shot from my collection that linked in with the other seasons.

Final Porfolio - Summer

Making this selection is taking me so long. I am full of self-doubt. I must now just get on with it. I am not going for assessment so only my pride is hanging on this - no grades.

Summer beeches - love the light created by these majestic trees.

Waiting for harvest - this view from the Clappers could have been taken from a plane.


Storm clouds over Harlington - enough said about our summer!!

OCA: Landscape portfolio

Here are the three photographs I have selected for my portfolio to represent spring - winter is on a previous blog. Any constructive critisism gratefully received.

The robin

Bluebells

Tunnel of leaves

I hope that these photographs convey a graphic quality as well as illustrating the season.

Final Portfolio Selection

I am making my selection for the Landscape final portfolio. The brief is to select 12 photographs to depict the four seasons - three for each. You are told to "consider the way adjacent images inter-relate and variations in size, format, content and tone so as to vary pace and avoid repetition! However at the same time, "the theme and your style should unite the separate images" Although this seems simple enough I am having a real struggle making a selection. I guess my overall style is that I like to look for a graphic element, I hope that is enough. Here is my Winter selection so far. Any comment gratefull received.

Misty Hillside - the intersection of the hedgerows caught my attention here

Snowy Fields - the snow has brought out the lines of the hedges and I especially liked the graphic nature of the lines in the winter wheat.

Winter Beeches - here it is the strong verticals intercut by the horizanals - all emphasised by the snow.

Final Assignment next batch.

This is another group of photographs up for selection for my final assignment. They will probably have a bit of photoshop treatment here and there.

Human and natural graffiti in the limewash on this greenhouse.

Sunlight shining throught the limewash showing struts of greenhouse.

Perished pair of rubber gloves left in greenhouse over winter.

Final Assignment, next selection

Here are the next group of pictures I am considering for my final landscape assignment. They are all of netting used in gardening and the photographs are about light as well as the gardeners' struggle to protect their crops.

This black netting sparkled in the late afternoon sun making it look like a spiderweb covered with dew.

Here the CD hung on the netting as a bird scarer is reflecting the fruit.

This early morning view shows the netting layers and the garden beyond.

Here a fine mesh is draped over the crop giving a clouded view of the leaves.

In this final shot there are water droplets and dead leaves as well as the sunlight caught in the mesh.