photography

I saw a ship

I was driving the other day and thinking about photography. I was not feeling partially inspired and being honest had been feeling a little creatively lost. I’d been feeling like this for a little while, I don’t think winter and a long lockdown doesn’t help matters. Creativity comes in waves and we all go though those good times but equally the periods of drought, and this was one of those periods.

I was thinking what I should do and what to photograph when I had the chance, the more I thought, the greater my frustration grew with the lack of ideas and any motivation at all. Obviously, this was not a great time to put pressure on myself to get creative, as there was very little I could do even if I had come up with an idea. This didn’t stop the feeling of frustration and there was nothing I could do but carry on driving.

As many of you know already or from viewing my work, I live by the sea. As I continued driving I was getting closer to the docks area and as I turned a corner I could see the top of a massive ship. The sunlight was hitting it from a low angle and showing all the details of the white painted metal work along with all the antennas and everything else that is sticking out of a ship. With everything painted white it had a uniformity to all the details. All those details of the white structure were sat beautifully against a clear blue sky and as soon as seeing this, it reminded me of Edward Hoppers paintings.

That was exactly what I needed to see, it was little a nudge of inspiration. Not that I was going to photography the ship (mainly because to make the photos I would have wanted, I would need to be hovering at the side of the ship and I don’t yet have an Annie Leibovitz size budget for a shoot). But this view reminded me that I do not need to figure everything out. I will see things that resonate with me and I will react to them. The inspiration will come when I get out and see things with a creative eye.

I got lucky that day that I was falling into a rut and saw something that sparked a creative thought. I know that this is rarely the case but it did show me that I need to trust myself and get out there. I will see things that work for me and I just have to photograph them. Sometimes it will work other times it wont but the interest and excitement will come in the process.    

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The Pink (Black and White) Pig

It's rare that I share many personal images (outside of the confines of my personal street photography) but I'm obviously still shooting the everyday things that go on around me. It's a compulsion as many photographers reading this post will understand and you simply don't just shoot one subject matter, it seems to saturate your life and before you know it, the people around you become a rich part of that documentary tapestry. 

So heres a behind the scene look into the everyday family fun that goes on around me. 

 

All images shot on Leica M10 + 50mm f1.4 Summilux-M ASPH