OCA Course: The Art of Photography – a few comments.

OCA Course: The Art of Photography. – a few comments.

On the whole, I found this module useful. The intention was to improve the "artistic" element in my wildlife photographs. Judging by the comments of onlookers, and by my own feelings, this has succeeded to a degree. I have a bigger proportion of images that I like, and remarks about the improvements in my photographs from others.

There are one or two issues with the course. The course manual has not been thoroughly "proof-read". Page 84 has disjointed continuity, page 129 poor narrative in relation to mains flash, page 150 has images completely missing (relating to pearls), and pages 139 and 140 were completely missing, so I don't know if there was an exercise relating to on-camera flash.

Numerous questions were asked outwith the actual exercises, but it was never made clear whether these should be formally answered in the learning log.

Some of the technical stuff is outdated – I've been looking at fluorescent lights as part of my work for the last 35 years, and they have all been daylight balanced, as are most domestic tubes now, so green tinges are a thing of the past. Some of the exercises were also a bit "techy", and probably unnecessary. I think the manual needs an overhaul.

Finally, the maintaining of a learning log as a Blog needs further clarification, in respect of recommended formats, and there should be a warning for those with slow internet connections that uploading large numbers of multi-megabyte images will take inordinate time, and often result in upload failures. Blogger has, however, improved recently, allowing better arrangement of layout and content.

OCA Course: Exhibitions, Galleries and Websites.

OCA Course: Exhibitions and Galleries and Websites.

During the last year I have visited several exhibitions, either public open ones, or commercial galleries. It's always interesting to see work by photographers considered by the pundits to be noteworthy.

1. Eve Arnold at Chris Beetles Gallery, London: Lots of expensive black and whites mainly taken on the set of "The Misfits" with Marylin Monroe. The only interest is in the film-star content, they aren't particularly striking photographs in themselves, but I guess people will pay a few grand for a picture of "her". Just a lucky break for Arnold, or any other photographer that happened to be invited to the set. Would I hang one on my living-room wall – no.
   
2. Hoppe at the NPG London: Interesting in that it put a face to some well known names from earlier in the 20^th century, like Lewis Carroll and GBS. The only image I remember, however, was a stunning portrait of an Oriental lady. For the rest, see 1. above. Would I hang one on my living-room wall – only one.
   
3. Adrian Gatie at Scarborough Art Gallery: Return to Penumbria – street photography at its best. Excellent. Not for the living-room wall, but definitely for a book of images, which I would buy just for the humour.
   
4. From Back Home at the NMM, Bradford: It takes a lot to get me to visit Bradford, and these two wouldn't have if it hadn't been for the co-incident Fay Godwin exhibition. I suppose Anders Peterson and J H Engstrom have spent a lot of time with their friends and neighbours, but I came away with a sense of someone taking pictures of their mates mostly when they're pissed at the local BBQ. Doesn't ring any bells with the image of Scandinavians I got from my several visits there. Wonder what the Varmlanders think. Putting ruddy great dark prints into ruddy great dark frames is a good way of filling exhibition wall space. Pity the content wasn't more appealing. Would I hang one on my living-room wall – no.
   
5. Fay Godwin at the NMM: Land revisited. Undeniably competent b & w landscapes. It's just a pity they were 11 inch square, which meant pressing my greasy nose up to them to see the finer points, some of which were essential to the image. What's the point of displaying instamatic size when she shot on a Hassel. Would I hang one on my living-room wall – yes, several.
   
6. Veiola Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Natural History Museum, London: This is my territory, and I go every year. The best wildlife images and a target to aspire to. Many memorable images, some decisive moments, some artistic content. Would I hang one on my living-room wall – no, but I'll buy the book.
   
7. www.birdsasart.org : Wildlife photographer Arthur Morris's website. Proof that wildlife images and artistic content are possible. This is what I aspire to, but know I'll never achieve!
   
8. www.steverace.com : A local bird photographer, but half my age! He's both good, and a good friend.
   

One reads a lot of critique about these exhibitions from the self-styled pundits of photography – it's all bollocks. Why does anyone take photographs? It's because the bloke standing next to us with a 9mm Glock pointing at our head is forcing us to, isn't it? No – it's because we enjoy it. Self satisfaction. We take photographs, look at them, keep the ones we like and dump the ones we don't (unless you are like me and have a hard-drive full of crap). We might really like one and hang it up for all to see. Gratification comes from positive comments from others. It's the same for commercial photographers – they shoot the images they think will suit their clients brief, and a gratified when the client pays the bill and uses him again. You can read what you like into photographs, but you only see them because whoever took them, likes them.

OCA Course: Rain.

Rain: As I've been pointing out in some of the latest posts, we haven't had any for months, so I was getting worried I'd have to substitute with a hosepipe (if they don't ban them). However, I went to post some letters at my "local" post office (a 10 mile round trip) a couple of days ago - warm and sunny, so only wearing a T-shirt and jeans, and lo-and-behold, got caught out with a short, sharp shower. I had to sit in the car for a few minutes, but turned on the digital compact for a few more wet windscreen shots. Here's one used for the magazine cover. It's nothing unusual, but the shower was, and you have to make the best of what you are dealt. I carry the compact a lot now, it's saved a few situations and the picture quality is excellent.

This is my last exercise. The "Last Post" - listen carefully and you might hear the bugler. (Actually it isn't - there are a few comments to follow).

OCA Course: Evidence of Action.

Evidence of Action: Wykeham Forest. This is what happens when the countryside is opened up to the general public. There's been no rain for four months and the forest is tinder dry, so what do they do? Light a damned great fire and get pissed, then wonder why the police and fire brigade turn up. Keep 'em out, that's what I say.

OCA Course: Symbols.

Symbols - or is that "Cliches".
1.Growth a) a plant seed germinating  b) a tumour on an X-ray (seen lots of those).

2. Excess  a) morbidly obese people  b) supermarket shelves stacked to bursting.

3. Crime  a) a broken window   b) pistol or a blood-stained knife.

4. Silence  a) library scene   b) woodland landscape.

5. Poverty  a) slums  b) beggars.

OCA Course: Concentrating the Light.

Concentrating the Light: (or the mind, as in this case). Meet Frank - he's very worried about his forthcoming assessment of his work for "The Art of Photography" module, and whether he will get all the exercises done before the deadline in a few days time.

For the technically minded, indoor ambient daylight with off-camera flash fitted with a 2 foot (that's 60 cm to geeks) black paper tube snoot, manual output at 1/16th power. EOS 1D Mk 111 with 17-40mm lens at F11, centre-weighted metering, auto white balance, 1/6th second, on a tripod.

For the non-technically minded, Frank can be seen on telly, on "Creature Comforts" - and my advice is that you watch that rather than this.

OCA Course: Juxtaposition.

Juxtaposition: "Going Birding" - this is my birding gear. Wide angle lens, auto F11 with off camera flash bounced off the ceiling.

I'd rather be birding.