THE ARTIST by The Artist
Like some others before me, I am unsure why I was asked to contribute to the A Kick up the Arts column, but as I am now in exalted company I am extremely pleased and a little humbled. So, as most of you will never have seen my images I will introduce you to them, and through them to me.
I know now that I should have been a photographer but I ended up doing something else, equally satisfying but still different. To make an image requires creativity and creativity comes from experience of all things, and that is why photography came to me only lately.
I have always been a ‘snapper’ of holiday memories and family gatherings but one day I saw a photograph taken by Lana Gilina of the Greystones Camera Club and it inspired me to join the club and through the tutoring of fellow members, in particular John McGowan, I became more aware of what a photograph could and should be.
Below are three images, and selecting them was akin to Sophie’s Choice – they fall under the headings of Nature, Landscape and Street.
My favourites…
The first image is one of my favourites for many reasons, as it invokes in me a sense of serenity. It was taken on our wedding anniversary, and we were in Sri Lanka. We were in the Tamil region and the war had ended, and there was peace there at last.
The second image is from our walk in the Himalayia last year. We were in the Everest region of Nepal to walk, climb and enjoy being on ‘the roof of the world’. The goals my wife and I had set ourselves were the summiting of Gokyio Ri (5,357m), Kala Patthar (5,644m), Cho La (5,420m) and Island Peak (6,189m). When packing 10-12kg of gear at high altitude and a beautiful yak suddenly appears around a bend you have only one choice, get high and get off the trail and most important of all, get the camera out and nail the shot.
The third image is the type of photography I like most, street and natural light and, of course, people. I like to photograph beautiful things – landscape, architecture, nature but, most of all, people; it is interactive and extremely pleasing. Also, I am a member of the Flickr 100 Strangers group; it requires me to ask a total stranger if I might take a photograph of them. It is self-challenging but extremely rewarding for both photographer and subject as each gets an opportunity to move a little more outside of their perceived zones of comfort. The subject also receives a high quality image as a way of saying thank you.
My inspirations…
Through Flickr I became acquainted with the work of Ellen McDemott, Andrew K. Heyes and Luc Goudmedt and now consider them as friends.
Ellen McDermot lives in Wicklow, Ireland and has many of her creative images exhibited in galleries all over the world. Ellen is both an artist and photographer who uses her knowledge of digital image manipulation to imagine and bring into being images of outstanding creativity.
You can check out more of Ellen’s work on her website here.
Andrew K. Heyes lives in Wigan, England. Once you have seen one of Andy’s photographs, you wait with high expectations for the next superb image to be posted, and are never disappointed.
You can check out more of Andrew’s work on his website here, or on his flickr page right here.
Luc Goudmedt lives in France. Luc is a photographer who uses light and shadow to capture the beauty of those who pose for him.
You can check out more of Luc’s work on his flickr page here.
You can check out Gerard’s other work on his flickr account here. Find out more about the Greystones Camera Club right here.