Transitions in the Landscape

If we are lucky enough to be given the opportunity to engage in landscape photography, then great moments can be captured in terms of transitions and the fleeting moments of time.

 the transition between river valleys and the surrounding hills or plains;

 the transition from night to day and vice versa during sunrise/ sunset and the boundaries of civil twilight on the fringes of these.

 The changing light from a break in a storm - to the emerging light and shadows from approaching or retreating stormfronts

 We also have the transition between land & sea; the change of the seasons; landform boundaries (moorland, arable plains, foothills) and the transition between urban & rural land.

Internal transitions
In a broader sense, my own journeys through the landscapes of the South West of England have, consequently, had a transitional effect on my sense of gaining a spiritual connection with these places. Having spent time engaged in extreme sports such as climbing, I have found the experiences to be dynamic, yet meditative; often emotional and at times, profoundly & internally rewarding. Retrospectively, I have come to consider that the light and landscape in which I have pursued these adventures has been one of the free, magical and enchanting ingredients. Photographs, as a medium of artistic expression, have the potential to give the viewer an insight into the photographers personality and experiences as much as to portray the subject in an interesting manner. I make photographs for a variety of reasons that prompt me emotionally or intrinsically, to make a picture about something. In photography, technical mastery can be learnt but if a photograph lacks concept or substance, then its initial interest can rapidly diminish.

The Light Fantastic

The keystone of what it takes to make a good photograph is to develop an understanding of light, and to recognise how it interacts with the world. Sometimes, a soft, hazy light is the order of the day for rivers, when there is no glare on the water.

The Light Fantastic

Brooding skies racing over the moors are given optimism by a chink of storm light introducing puddles on the hills and valleys.

The Light Fantastic

Also, pre-sunrise twilight falling upon valley floor mists, take on an ethereal blue hue, when the light from the sky falls upon them.

The Light Fantastic

There are numerous opportunities offered in many forms of weather, its about learning what subjects work in a particular light. There is no such thing as bad light though, perhaps, a certain light can be a great advantage because it is capable of transforming an otherwise ordinary photograph!

On Style and Vision...

My creative vision has consistently focused on form, texture, light, colour, and flow though, they constantly evolve in subtle ways. I aim to encourage people to stop for a moment and really look deeply into the coast and the countryside, in order to relish their surroundings. The idea of motivating others to feel the compulsion to record by means of photography an awesome, numinous experience, and what it really means to them, is extremely worthwhile and enriching.

In conclusion, an example of such an event, eloquently written by the author Ray Bradbury, is in parallel with my sentiments on the subject of photography:

He stood breathing, and the more he breathed the land in, the more he was filled up with all the details of the land. He was not empty. There was more than enough here to fill him. There would always be more than enough.
(Ray Bradbury, "Fahrenheit 451")

www.philhemsley.co.uk
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