Contact Sheet – Summer Adventure
This summer I visited Knoydart peninsula and the islands of Orkney, Harris and Lewis. The last two islands are part of the Western Isles or more specifically the outer Hebrides. Orkney is at the very top east of Scotland.
Summer brings long evenings in which to shoot and early mornings which are torturous – a 3am start always makes me feel a little bit ‘wobbly’. It is at times like this that I start to feel rather ‘out of it’ and do question my motivations for making images.
Here is a contact sheet of the images that have made it to the final selection for my web site. I’ll be putting them up in a new portfolio titled ‘Summer Adventure’ to mirror my ‘Winter Adventure’ portfolio.
I’m always looking for concepts as I find it helps me focus my efforts when shooting and also helps me figure out how best to present the new images when I’m ready to publish them.
I’m tempted to head out to the Uists this Summer if time permits. They too are also part of the Hebrides, a long tail of islands joined by ferry or causeway, each stunning in their own right (I should be getting some money from the Scottish Tourism Board for this!). The downside is that it’s often expensive and very time consuming. I’ve lived in Scotland all my life and it’s only this summer that I’ve managed to venture out to these places. But what beauty I’ve encountered there…. I don’t feel it will be my last endevour there.
Bruce, do you change colors on your pictures when you process them?
Comment by goosetea — 23 June, 2009 @ 9:51 am
No I don’t. I think your question suggests that I do a lot of manipulation to the pictures?
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 June, 2009 @ 10:13 am
No, I was always amazed that the colors are “real” and so vivid and so on, that they are as they were taken on the film.
But when I showed pictures to my room mate and he said they are definately photoshoped. it casted some doubts for a minute :) I just wanted to be sure I was right. thank you.
Comment by goosetea — 23 June, 2009 @ 11:05 am
Hi goosetea,
The colours are vivid because I use film and I’ve got very good techique. I do some additional ‘dark room’ work on images, but it’s not what you imagine. I don’t put colours in there that weren’t there, and I don’t add saturation. I tend to put in things like light fall off (the edges of the frame get darker).
I do get the comment ‘oh, that’s been photoshopped’ from time to time as if it’s saying that the image is a lie or that I’m cheating. Photoshop used correctly is an artistic tool. Not all photography is real – photography can’t be real. You are converting a 3d piece of reality into something that isn’t real. But your flatmates comment is disparaging because it’s an assumption that because they cannot create images like that, they must be fake in some way.
Put it another way. Why doesn’t your flat mate get a copy of photoshop if it’s going to make his/hers images better?
The simple answer is that owning photoshop, or a high end camera is not going to make the images better.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 June, 2009 @ 11:18 am
Bruce, thank you for detailed answer.
The question wasn’t meant as an accusation of any sort. Just wanted to hear how things are from you. I mean, me thinking of your processing routine is one thing (not to mention that I don’t have expirience with film) and you confirming it is another thing.
I was/am impressed that you can get colors like that on the film. If you would say that you change colors I personally wouldn’t be dissapointed in any way :)
Comment by goosetea — 23 June, 2009 @ 1:11 pm
No problem goosetea,
Photography is all about vision, and however you achieve that, is up to you :-)
Suggestion, conveying a feeling, it’s just the end result that matters. And if people ‘get it’, then that’s great.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 June, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
Hi Bruce,
Interesting description you gave; found it really enlightening. I don’t suppose that someday you might put out a book or manual or something along the lines of how you achieve this high level of quality so that those of us who can’t go on one of you workshop trips could learn a thing or two? Would not have to say to much, just enough to get us thinking and willing to trying some new things ourselves. Also, are you able to achieve this level of quality using digital, or is that why you stay with film?
Yeah, I know, I ask for to much :-)
Glenn
Comment by gc — 23 June, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
Hi Glenn,
I’d love to put a book out at some point. But as much as a book seems like the ultimate goal for a photographer, it’s unfortunately way down in my priorities at the moment.
I love to share my thoughts and Ideas on this blog, but it’s strange – the more I give, the more people want. :-)
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 June, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
Thanks Bruce,
Yeah, I can understand what you mean. If you just were not so good at what you do, people like me would not be quizzing you :-)
But I did pick up on using the film and your technique. Now if I could just figure that out and transfer that to digital? Oh, well. I’ll just keep on enjoying your work. . .
Glenn
Comment by gc — 24 June, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
Hi Glenn,
Without sounding too much like a marketing-man, this is perhaps where I say ‘ you need to come along on one of my week long workshops’. My site contains images that are digital as well as film. My preference is for film, but there’s not a whole lot of difference between the two in terms of how I approach shooting.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 24 June, 2009 @ 6:10 pm