Arundel Castle and the peaceful toil

Intent

So a fortnight ago a quick visit to the South Downs and Arundel castle saw me come close to how I want to shoot. Slow down and look for the shoot I want. I have always felt that I am too rushed when out shooting. I can 'see' what I want. However, I always feel too rushed into firing the shutter.

It seemed that your man tending these gardens was a metaphor for how I had to approach my photography. As a keen balcony gardener, I enjoyed the anticipation of waiting for the seeds to germinate. I have the patience to wait for the seedling to spring up and shoot skyward. 

Seeing this fella slowly weed and looking so content gave me a moment to pause and think about my shooting. I walked around his position as he calmly went about his morning. I felt as calm as he appeared. I waited and looked and observed. I made a few exposures. And kept on looking for the 'one' I wanted.

Then, when I shot this one, I knew I had the shot I was looking for. 

et le travail du Seigneur

This was shot on my much loved FP4 plus in my little Leica iii(a), with my 35mm Color-Skopar and the Universal viewfinder from Leica. These were developed in some Adox APH-09 and scanned on a CanoScan 9000F.

Here are some of the 'sighting' shoots.

Thanks for having a look, and happy snapping. A

Arundel Castle and the Chapel of St Nicholas

The Gear, or the Intent

So I've used already posted using this subtitle (The Gear, or the Intent) Do I shoot what I am drawn to, or does my equipment dictate what I shoot?
Last time (see blog dated 2015_04_01) I spoke about the actually camera body, and how that affects the style of shooting. I week or so ago, we visited Arundel Castle and with the amazing Chapel of St Nicholas on it's grounds. As I had an unfinished roll of Ilford FP4 plus in my little Leica iii(a), I popped on the Voilgtlander 35 Color-Skopar and the Universal viewfinder from Leica and packed that in my bag, along with a few extra rolls of the FP4 plus. These were developed in some Adox APH-09 and scanned on a CanoScan 9000F.

Going into the chapel of St Nicholas you get a sense of time passing slowly. On the scale of a human life, this is deep-time. This complex was built in around 1000 years ago. Yes 1000 years ago. That it is still standing is very impressive and was very humbling to be able to walk around inside and breath in the history. 

Now, I know I could get technically better shots in this low-light space (and maybe someday I will swop-out for a high ISO digital system) But, for now THIS is how I felt when walking through the chapel. It felt mysterious and dark. It felt close-in and intimate. Was I able to convey those adjectives? Did my equipment enable me to shoot what I felt? Do these images convey my intent? I can't say. That is not my purpose. I have to shoot what I shoot and how I shoot it. They job of critic is out of my hands. All I can do is produce what I feel. I am one of the lucky ones I feel in that I have the tools to visualise what I feel. 

The Long Sleep

Watchful keep

Mother and Child

Last rest

Side-by-side forever

Holy Centurion

As always, thanks for having a look, and happy shooting. Antz

Two Icicles and style

The Gear, or the Intent

So I've been thinking about how my choice of camera on any given day affects my style of shooting for that day. Does the type of camera affect my style of shooting? Looking at my contact sheets I do get a sense that it does to a certain extent.

I find that using my compact allows me to get closer and at a lower angle. This, I find gives the image a more intimate 'feel', a snapshot if you will. But then I also like what the regular SLR, or rangefinder can provide. I get a more thoughtful approach to selecting subject and composition. Both work for me, and both deliver results I enjoy.

The Little Prince @ Covent Garden 2015

The Back of the Crowd @ Piccadilly Circus 2015

So the the question is: does my style dictate which camera I use and what I choose to shoot, OR does the choice of camera for the day dictate my style for that particular day? I think the jury is still out on this one, but it's fun to this issue to consider.

The Ascent @ Hammersmith 2015

The Watchers @ Aldwych 2015

And as always, thanks for reading and happy shooting. A