Beyond the Lens
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Website
  • Prints
  • Bookshop
  • Social Media

What's the Story, Morning Glory

2/2/2014

0 Comments

 
PictureIslington, London, UK
What draws me to photography? There are a number of things, and I am sure that it has changed over the years.

When I first started taking photos, I wanted to photograph the show jumping shows I went to. At university, I still took photos of show jumping, I shifted focus a little to street and photojournalistic photography. I also started to develop my own black and white film. I continued my street and photojournalistic photography when I came to London. Within a few years, I shifted to architecture photography as I became tired of either being told off or people playing to the camera.

Over the last year or so, I have been trying to figure out where my photography is going. While I am on the journey, what I am really tapping into my photography is the narrative. So, what do I mean by this?

The exhibition I was in during November 2013, much of the feedback that I received was people seeing their own stories and narratives within the photos I was exhibiting. I found it fascinating what people saw in the images – often things I hadn’t seen myself, or personal stories they had.

The images I showed were architectural, and so it wasn’t perhaps the most obvious subject matter to have narratives. What I found was that it invoked either people knowing the areas I took the images in and it provoked some memories or feelings of the area or it reminded people of other places they knew. The narratives were place based.

Seeing the narrative, and allowing the viewer to read their own narrative, has become more important in my photography.

I sometimes come across stories of areas, graffiti, etc after the fact. One good example is the graffiti image I took in Islington. It was a man standing by a utility box on the street. A number of months later, while reading the metro at Waverley train station in Edinburgh, I found out that the image was of the cleaner who removed some graffiti (Graffiti artist paints image of cleaner removing artwork). I appreciated the story behind the image, but for me, my narrative of the image was an office worker pausing while heading back to the office during his lunch hour. 


0 Comments

Winter Light

9/12/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dover Castle, Kent, England
As a photographer, I notice how the change in seasons affects the sunlight. The sun’s position changes throughout the year, and I enjoy capturing this in my images. A harsh summer light contrasts a soft winter light. The longer summer days give me a much longer time to photograph while a shorter winter day has me chasing its shadows. 

I find myself the most creative in the winter light. My leanings are toward black and white photography, and so light for me essential. The gentle and moody winter light shines highlights onto the season’s harshness. 

I am drawn to the shadows and the moodiness of the seasons. While visiting Dover a year ago, I was able to play around with sunlight, and shadows. I enjoyed the capturing the moodiness of the season on the windswept Dover Castle. 

Picture
Dover Castle, Kent, England
0 Comments

Stone Canvas

23/4/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
Dover Castle, Kent, UK
Founded in the 12th Century, Dover Castle dominates the cliffs along the Kent coastline which look over the channel to France. It is the largest castle in England and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history.

The weather, history and the people passing through the Castle have certainly left their mark, particularly on the walls. While visiting the Castle last January, I wished the walls could talk, and in many ways they did.

The weather has worn the thick stone walls and the sun peeps through the windows, casting its shadow down the hallways and stairs inside. People have written their history on the walls – and am sure they will continue to do so – giving a human face to the grey stone walls. 

I was drawn to photographing the buildings in black and white, and had wished I hadn’t run out of film. The histories presenting themselves on the walls, as elsewhere in the Castle, seemed timeless in black and white. However, the vibrant colours of the furnishings – giving them an almost childlike effect – demanded colour film. 

Picture
Dover Castle, Kent, UK
Even the walls in colour gave a very textured effect – as did the black and white. 

It was a shame I didn’t have time to finish wandering around the Castle, and hope to revisit – along with my camera and some more film. 
1 Comment

Hidden Memories

15/4/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
Folkestone, Kent, England
Visiting Folkestone, Kent, late last year, my friend took me to the Folkestone Harbour station, a disused train station at Folkestone Harbour. The harbour station provided a rail connection for boat trains from London which connected with the ferry services to Calais and Boulogne.

The station closed to regular passenger train services in 2001. However, the line and station continued to be used by the Venice-Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) and railtours.

It is part of Folkestone history that is slowly being eroded away by the elements, and is hidden away from city view. My friend had only recently found it through a recommendation through a friend, and I was very happy for her to show me. We spent a bit of time photographing it, on a moody day where the rain threatened and the sea waves were high. 

The surroundings, and the weather, asked to be photographed in black and white. I couldn’t resist the haunting moodiness of the place.

Picture
Folkestone, Kent, England
In the middle of the tracks was a random statue of people. Neither of us really knew what it was for, but I was able to incorporate it into my photos of the train station. They add something to an otherwise derelict and lonely station – a gentle reminder of those who passed through in days gone by. 
1 Comment

Rising Spires

26/2/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
York, England, UK
I have visited York a few times over the years. It is a city I could visit over and over again. It has the charm of an old city, and it lends itself to the camera lens very well.

I have so many photos to choose from, and it’s difficult to pick a favourite. York Minster has given me a number of strong images. It is a gothic church, and the second seat of the Church of England.

The Minster dominates the York skyline, and a couple of my favourite photos are taken from the Roman wall that surrounds the city. It shows the dominance of the building on the surrounding city, as well as the dominance of religion.

I have taken both black and white and colour photos of the building, and the Minster lends itself to both.

The b&w image to the left is one of my more recent images – taken a few years ago while visiting friends. It’s dominance over the surrounding buildings is quite clear, and I quite liked the wheelbarrow and gardening tools at the bottom. They give a human aspect to the surroundings.

The colour image below is an earlier image, and I liked the Minster peering through the Roman wall. It’s dominance is still there, but is contained by the stone wall. 

Picture
York, Yorkshire, England, UK
0 Comments

Infinity

19/2/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Isle of Dogs, London, UK
A number of years ago, I was photographing on the Isle of Dogs in East London, and came across a disused section of train track. I have not idea what trains used to travel on it, and to where. However, it presented me with some very nice train viaducts to photograph.

The train viaducts seem rather random now that they are disused. They sit on a stretch of the Isle of Dogs, and seem to be a forgotten piece of history that hasn’t been torn down yet. 

I am rather glad they haven’t been torn down. I was drawn to the texture of the viaduct was highlighted by the midday sun. The black & white images give a sense of the tactile essence of the brick structure.

What really caught my eye was the space cutting down the centre of the supports holding up the viaduct. They give a sense of infinity to a very solid structure. 

Picture
Isle of Dogs, London, UK
The print of the first image can be bought by clicking here and the second image can be bought by clicking here. 
0 Comments

Mother & Child

24/7/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hoxton, London, UK
Some photos appear rather unexpected. I was taking photos of graffiti in Hoxton and Shoreditch, East London recently. It was getting late in the day, and the winter light was fading quickly. 

I happened upon some graffiti of a mother holding a child in a doorway near Hoxton Square. The image of a mother and child can be very powerful and can also hold a lot of - sometimes conflicting – emotions. It was hidden down a side street, but hard to miss due to its size. 

One of earliest human experiences, as well as relationships, is most often of our mothers. This bond often influences us for the rest of our lives. The mother and child bond is often idealised, but can also be fraught with difficulties. 

Childbirth is also heavily influenced by social mores of a time and place. What struck me about this particular image was that it hinted at something a bit risqué. 

A mother standing in a doorway, possibly in an alleyway – what was the story? Was she hiding from something, or someone? Was the child born out of wedlock, in a time when this was less acceptable? Or perhaps she was just pausing for a moment, sheltering from the elements?

The image was a simple one, but holds a powerful story - or stories - for the viewer. It was much more powerful in black and white rather than colour. 

I was also caught by the paradox of where the graffiti was (side street) and its size (much larger than the average human). It did make me wonder whether this was indicative of how society views motherhood. On one hand, humanity’s need to sanitise and idealise motherhood; and on the other the undercurrent of how it really is. 

Whatever is happening around the mother and child, he underlying tone of the image is one of nurturing and protection. 

The above image is available to buy as a print.

0 Comments

Home

11/7/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
Wesminster, London, UK
A couple of months ago, I was wandering towards Charing Cross Road, between St Martin in the Fields and the church offices. 

There is a skylight letting light into the church’s meeting rooms below street-level that has sayings inscribed in it.

A few words caught my eye – particularly ‘home’. Home can be very difficult to define sometimes, and often has complex issues surrounding it.

On the physical level, it is the roof over one’s head; and not everyone has access to shelter. How we define this can vary dramatically from generation to generation, and around the world. What some consider basics are luxuries for others.

Being an architectural photography, I am very interested in the fabric of home. I enjoy how different materials and designs affect the look, feel and mood of a structure. While I have my own tastes on architecture, I do appreciate how architectures defines a living space.

But there was something else about the word ‘Home’ that drew me to it.

Jennifer Kavanagh makes a good point in her book The O of Home: home is so much more than the walls or the city / country where we live in. Ultimately, we need to feel at home with ourselves. 

Being at home with ourselves isn’t easy, and many of us, if not most, struggle with it. In many ways, the buildings around us can reflect what’s going on inside. However, architecture can also influence how people feel. Light and airy buildings are often much more uplifting than dark ones.

Ultimately, how much we feel at home in ourselves and in our surroundings is down to us. However welcoming we make ourselves and our surroundings is something within our control. 

0 Comments

The Journey

3/7/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
nr St Paul's, London, UK
There is an old saying – the only constant is change. I have been thinking of this over the last few months as my photography has gone through subtle changes over the years. 



I have been taking photos since my mid-teens, and I find it interesting how my photography has changed over the years, as well as the meaning of photos I have taken. 

Like many artists, much of my photography reflects my life and what I see around me. It has been influenced by my interests, experience, technological change and other artists as much as what has caught my eye.

I have experimented with different technologies – various films, monochrome and colour, digital and analogue – and with different subjects – people, buildings, and abstracts. Like many artists, I am sure I will keep experimenting. 

My creativity ebbs and flows, and sometimes I find my creativity flowing more than other times. What I have found is not to force myself to take photos when the ideas dry up. For me, it’s a period that my subconscious is thinking. 

Increasingly, I am finding my photography is becoming more thoughtful and pensive. Instead of frantically trying to capture every fleeting moment, I am finding myself taking more time to capture the essence of what’s around me. 

Perhaps this is a result of my photography becoming more mature; or perhaps it’s a change in direction, however slight. No matter what the reason, I am finding my creative and photography a journey, and a journey that’s quite reflective of my life and how I see the world around me. This may not be surprising or shocking, as I am sure that many artists feel the same way.

0 Comments

Brooding

5/6/2011

0 Comments

 
Picture
Castle Howard, Yorkshire, UK
I often come across the attitude that photos can only really be taken in sunshine. Overcast days, which tend to be frequent in the UK, aren’t seen to be as picture-worthy as its sunny cousin – and evening shots are often forgotten altogether. 

Gray weather doesn’t tend to put me off, and often see it as a perfect opportunity to get brooding, atmospheric and textured shots that don’t present themselves as readily in bright daylight. I sometimes appreciate a grey sky as the subject matter presents another side of its character, and generally reach for my black and white film. 

A visit to Castle Howard in Yorkshire a few years ago is a perfect example of this. I was visiting friends in York, and we decided to do a day trip to the estate. The weather overcast and rainy. I was in heaven. 

Most of it was built between 1699 and 1712 for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, to a design by Sir John Vanbrugh. Castle Howard has been the home of part of the Howard family for more than 300 years, and is the setting for TV and film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

The setting lends itself to either colour or black and white. However, with the weather the way it was, I couldn’t resist taking photos in black & white. After a tour of the house itself, we walked part of the grounds before the rain started in earnest. 

One of my favourite shots is of a bridge over a stream cutting through the grounds. The sky was steadily getting darker, and more threatening. The viewer can almost smell the rain coming. 

To get a nice contrast in the image, I used Ilford Pan-F 50 film, which is a nice slow film. This is a stalwart of mine, and often find it gives me the contrast and texture I’m after. I must admit, it certainly lent itself to Castle Howard. 

I managed to capture the shot just before the rain started, and feel fortunate. My friends and I just managed to get back to the House before the rain started to really pour. 

Capturing atmospheric shots can be very rewarding, particularly when you capture the moment well.

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Heather Martin is a London based photographer who specialises in architectural, event and B&W film photography.

    For more info, please to the About page.

    **Heather Martin owns the copyright to all the photographs and text within this blog, unless otherwise stated.

    Archives

    August 2016
    May 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010

    Categories

    All
    Annie Leibovitz
    Anton Hammerl
    Architecture
    Art
    Art Deco
    Autumn
    Barcelona
    Bath
    Battersea
    Beckenham
    Birmingham
    Book
    Borough Market
    Brick Lane
    British Museum
    Brixton
    B&W
    Byland Abbey
    Canada
    Canary Wharf
    Castle Howard
    Cathedral
    Celebrity
    Cemetary
    Channel 4
    Charing Cross
    Christmas
    Church
    City
    Clapham
    Colour
    Copyright
    Covent Garden
    Crystal Palace
    Daniel Libeskind
    Death
    Diana
    Digital
    Dover
    Dover Castle
    Dulwich Wood
    Edinburgh
    Edinburgh Castle
    Eltham Palace
    England
    Euston Station
    Exhibition
    Film
    Fisheye
    Folkestone
    Foster And Partners
    Fujifilm
    Games
    Gaudi
    Gothic
    Graffiti
    Greenwich
    Hampshire
    Hastings
    Hertfordshire
    Home
    Hoxton
    Ilford Film
    Iphone
    Isle Of Dogs
    Joseph Paxton
    Journey
    Katharina Fritsch
    Kent
    Kodak
    Law
    Light
    Lip
    Liverpool
    Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
    Lomography
    London
    London 2012
    London Bridge
    London Eye
    London Underground
    Lothian
    Mallorca
    Marketing
    Modern
    More London
    Motif
    Museum
    Museum Of Civilization
    Museum Of London
    Nathan Coley
    National Sports Centre
    Nature
    Niagara Falls
    Olympics
    Online
    Open House London
    Oscar Wilde
    Ottawa
    Paparazzi
    Photojournalism
    Photo Manipulation
    Police
    Power
    Privacy
    Project
    Public Places
    Quakers
    Quebec
    Railway Stations
    Ramblers
    Reflection
    Renzo Piano
    Riots
    River Thames
    Royal Arsenal
    Royal Liver Building
    Royal Ontario Museum
    Rural
    Salisbury Cathedral
    Scotland
    Seo
    Shadow
    Shepherds Bush
    Side Streets
    Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
    Snow
    Somerset
    South Bank
    South Downs
    Spain
    Spirituality
    Sports
    Spring
    Stairs
    St James
    Stonehenge
    St Pancras Station
    Street Art
    Street Photography
    Summer
    Sunflower
    Surrey
    Sussex
    Sydenham Hill Wood
    Technology
    Terrorism
    Texture
    Thames
    The Crystal Palace
    The Shard
    Tim Hetherington
    Toronto
    Tower Bridge
    Train
    Transport
    Uk
    Urban
    Valentine
    Velvia
    Viaduct
    Walter Aubrey Thomas
    Wapping
    War
    Water
    Waterloo
    Weather
    Westfield Shopping Centre
    Westminster
    William Pye
    Wiltshire
    Winter
    Winter Solstice
    Woodbrooke
    Woolwich
    York
    York Minster
    Yorkshire

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.