Each day of the Photography programme involved a session of input covering technical and compositional considerations, and some spiritual reflection linked to the day's theme, before we went out with our cameras. I've long found photography to be a source of spiritual blessing for me, a form of active meditation, especially when I'm out on my own with my camera. It was enriching therefore to find this confirmed, developed and shared with others.
Our theme for the first day was 'self-portrait'. Aaagh! I'd much rather be behind the camera than in front of it and I'm not fond of my tripod, so this was a real challenge. I went down to the beach, with the idea of taking a picture of myself with the sea behind. It's a beautiful cove, but quite rocky - and it was very, very, hot with hardly a breath of wind on the beach. I set my tripod up, with difficulty, clambering about on the uneven rocks. Then followed a fruitless time of trying to get the camera at the right height, myself in the right position, taking photos with the timer... I got hotter and hotter and crosser and crosser and didn't get a single picture that looked good and properly focussed, though it was pretty hard to see them in the bright sunshine on the backscreen of my camera. In the end I retreated to the small chapel carved into the rocks by the beach. There, in the half dark and relative cool, I did manage to get a photo that was at least in focus. It's by no means one of my favourite photos of myself, all dishevelled and hot! Yet I'm sharing it, simply because the point of the exercise was to be vulnerable and to be honest. So that's me, with no artifice.
It's a steep walk back from the beach to Lee Abbey, still too hot. I paused for breath and noticed my reflection in the window of the hydro-electric plant by the waterfalls. This one's out of focus too, but in this case the blurring was the result of the reflection in the dirty, warped glass and seems rather more artistically pleasing!
It was a good, and humbling, exercise.
Its very rocky and hilly around that area and cycling around it is very hard work, beautiful scenery though. I think many of us prefer to be the other side of a camera.
ReplyDeleteDevon is such a beautiful spot Jenny.. oh you are brave, I absolutely hate being in front of the camera but you captured a super self portrait there ✨
ReplyDeleteThe natural light which is reflected up at you in your first portrait makes it sublime. So I would say I like it better, though having the back story gives it even more value...you don't look disheveled so much as casual if I didn't know what you went through on the beach first! It pleases me that you have a spiritual side to your work with a camera. I'd never thought of that, but will from here forward.
ReplyDeleteYou look so resigned to having your pic taken! I hate having mine taken too but you did a good job!
ReplyDeleteThe chapel portrait works!
ReplyDeleteI know you didn’t like it but sometimes it helps to go beyond it all. I may try to do that but probably will never share them. The beach scene is so beautiful. Taking a class sounds like a positive challenge.
ReplyDeleteJenny you look about sixteen in the chapel photo.
ReplyDeleteA vulnerable and honest self portrait? No thanks. I have too big an ego for that.
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