Book Review: Charlie Waite, Landscape - The Story of 50 Favourite Photographs

WAITE, C. (2005). Landscape – The Story of 50 Favourite Photographs. Great Britain: Collins and Brown. 112.

 

Cover image taken on The Somme

Charlie Waite is a renowned British photographer who has an eye similar to Ernst Haas in the way that he perceives form and perspective.

This book is almost a collection of visual memoires; a collection of his favourite images taken from numerous travels around the world from Bolivia to Wiltshire. The book is laid out with text to support each image on the left hand page with the image facing on the right. One of the few exceptions is a double page spread image of Lake Titicaca, depicting the crystal blue waters of the lake with the Andes rising behind.  

The book follows a square format which I find generally very pleasing, especially for the images that use perspective as it seems to enhance this effect. The choice to use this format may also have arisen from the format of his Hasselblad camera. There are other images taken in traditional portrait or landscape format that punctuate the overall layout, and although these work perfectly well, it’s still the square format that presents better.

Champagne, France

The text forms an integral part of the book as its concept is not merely to present a series of stunning landscapes, but to offer more about the reason behind each image; the text embellishes the title itself and he explains why each image is one of his 50 favourites; what struck Waite as being the compulsion to shoot that place at the time he chose. His memories are also included and he explains in the introduction how he first became enthralled with photography after watching the developing process in the darkroom.

While most of the images contain some sort of majesty and grandeur, it’s the simpler compositions that arrest my attention; the avenue of trees in Champagne, the line of reeds taken Camargue, France, more reeds set against an avenue of poplars at The Somme have a simplicity and beauty that I love. At the time of writing this book review I can identify heavily with his sense of appreciation for the simple lines and textures of rows of reeds and this can be seen in my own photobook.

Camargue, France

Waite’s journey through his 50 favourite photographs is an inspiration, not only in the end result of a fine image, but also in the opportunities and experiences of appreciating everything that comes with photography; an appreciation of the weather, of textures, or people and places; the large aspects and also the details that come together to make a memorable image.

The Dordogne, France

myopia: the art of short-seeing

Here's a preview of my photobook, myopia: the art of short-seeing.

myopia: a project proposal

My aim in completing this project is to put together a series of abstract images put together during my exploration of a technique commonly known as bokeh; a Japanese term referring to aesthetic blur caused by using depth of field. 

Although most commonly used images are taken at night to make the most of the shapes caused by out of focus lighting, my subjects will be natural objects shot in daylight and sunlight. My choice of lighting will assist in developing a more ethereal effect and using the shapes and translucency of leaves and petals will enhance the play of light. 

I hope to produce images where the light has been reflected, diffused, and will also create shadow effects. Shooting in full sunlight, assisted by experimentation with exposure, will I hope enhance the effect of diffusing light. I also plan to experiment with lenses; using a macro lens and a 28mm prime lens to allow me to adjust to different focal lengths. 

In addition, I hope to explore how bokeh can increase the effect of detail and change the viewer’s sense of context of an image, perhaps taking a striking scene and emphasising some different aspects, purely by changing the focus in the composition. 

I hope to produce a series of ethereal images that encourage contemplation and examination. The images themselves are not intended to be striking, but are more abstract in their feel.

Bluebells in bokeh

There's an ancient site just outside Bettws Newydd in Monmouthshire where woodlands now grow on what was once an Iron Age hill fort. The ramparts that the original inhabitants built now make impressive undulating folds in which scores of bluebells flourish at this time of year. 

Their ethereal blueness is accentuated by the ditches and makes a stunning display. I wanted to bring out that delicate, otherworldly quality by using bokeh and it's worked really well, especially when using the wider apertures to over expose, flooding the image with light.

Book Review: The Americans, Robert Frank

The generally accepted opinion has that if you should refer to any photobook it should be Robert Frank’s The Americans.

It’s certainly a solid start if your interest is in photojournalism and street photography. The book, includes images taken on a trip through 43 of the United States of America in the 19650s.

The photography itself is an essay in how to bend the rules and came at a time in photography when taking the perfect shot was more about the time place and event, than perfect technical exposure, so it’s a encouraging starting point.

Many of the images are hastily snapped images taken in venues where perhaps the intrusion of a camera may not have been welcomed. ‘Bar, Gallop’ is one such shot, taken from the hip in a bar in Mexico, it’s a bare-fisted, rough and ready depiction of a working bar complete with Stetsons and whatever else the patrons of the bar toted. The shot is grainy and off-angle, and is as uncomfortable as perhaps the bar was. You get a feel of the place not just from the subjects, but in the hasty framing.

Each image is monochrome which adds to the sense of reportage. Grainy, immediate; the viewer can sense the moments passing as each page is turned.

The body of work is a comment on American society. Simply captioned “The Americans” was intended to cover all aspects of American life. From funerals to society balls, from the dusty side roads of impoverished South Carolina to the red carpets of Hollywood, rags to riches it catalogues the rot of capitalism as polarises mid 20^th century America.

It’s compelling viewing once you get past the lengthy introduction by Jack Kerouac who seems intend on romping off into what could possibly be an alcohol-induced prank, mouth running away with him and off into a reverie that barely relates to the photographs that follow.

It’s your choice to go with him or simply explore Frank’s work yourself. And it’s extremely easy to do so, too: The layout of the book is simple with one image on the right hand page of each double page spread. The white background carefully selected to frame the images, while the caption is subtly placed in the bottom left hand corner of the left hand page. I like this approach as it allows the viewer to appreciate each image without the distraction of text.

Certainly for the subject, the layout works beautifully; perhaps Frank is being tactful or democratic but whatever the subject; a Hollywood starlet or the deceased at their funeral, each image is given the same space and dedication; it’s objective and allows the viewer to witness and make their own evaluation.

Initially it’s a layout that I’d like to use for my own photobook, however the subject of my work is very different and I’d like to use more panoramic views and have the image take up more of each page so that the viewer can experience my images in a more contemplative way.

Myopic views of the Pembrokeshire Coast

The Pembrokeshire coast is renowned possibly the world over, so it was great to spend the day there during the Easter break. Inspired by British photographer Jem Southam I wanted to get up close and personal to the landscape, so the shots that I've included here play around with visual perceptions. I took the craggy coastline of the stunning Precambrian and Cambrian rock formations and reduced them to a background feature.

Jem Southam created some great shots of coastal paths, choosing a low angle to capture the texture of the ground. So I attempted the same thing here and hopefully made a coastal footpath far more interesting.

There's a lot more to explore if you're willing (or able) to tear your attention away from the views and I enjoyed seeking out interesting features hidden away in the rugged landscape: 

I also particularly enjoyed getting some alternative angles on the scenery. The Sea Thrift was just coming into flower and provided some great foreground interest to the backdrop. It's interesting to see that the rock formations are still prominent in the shots I took; you just can't get away from their grandeur.