Exhibiting Light 3 – The Absorption of Black Holes

Light plays an important part in all art work and its display. Despite the display and this photograph revealing the shadows and surfaces of this piece of work by Duncan Ayscough, when seeing it last week at Craft in the Bay, Cardiff, it was difficult to describe just what the ceramic form was doing with the light in the gallery other than absorbing it – like a Black Hole.

The photo cannot do it justice – the matt black surface seemed to negate the existence of light and in other pieces (not those shown here), the form seemed to be a “normal” vessel but when taking a closer look, we realised that the black surface of the interior was deceiving us! If I had taken a closer look still, I fear I too would have been absorbed into that Black Hole.

Fascinating work and well worth a visit if you’re in the area – or even if you’re not! This work must be new as it does not appear on his website yet.

Duncan Ayscough

Duncan Ayscough

Duncan Ayscough

Duncan Ayscough

A Change of Scene

Moving away from Lliw Reservoir which has featured a lot in my recent posts, I have some new photos from Hereford. We drove up there last week for my daughter’s final interview for university. She has since been accepted by all five to which she applied – clever girl 🙂

Although the roads in Hereford seemed very busy during mid week, this small city is very attractive in parts with the cathedral being central. The colour of the stone is beautiful and changes with the light (naturally). It was a dull day when we were there but that didn’t spoil what was a pleasant and successful day out. I wonder if we will be seeing more of it – depends on Hannah’s choice really! You can see her blog here.

Hereford

A park by the castle in Hereford

Church Street, Hereford

Church Street, Hereford

Hereford Cathedral

Hereford Cathedral

Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral

Light is Everything

Sunlight or cloud, rain or mist – the weather conditions influence, no, create the available light for photography.

A few weeks ago I was at Lliw Valley Reservoirs in the rain and took some photos on my iPhone 4s of what I described as “fence post gardens”. I posted them on the Moss Appreciation Society Facebook page with the comment that I would have to go back on a dry day to photograph them properly. The response from one group member was that moss likes, and is perhaps, at its best in the rain.

The sun was shining when I was up there last week and following my interview with BBC Radio Wales I proceeded to take some photos of the same “fence post gardens” with my Canon 550D. It was difficult to say the least! Sunlight can be very dramatic – usually in the early morning or evening, but it can also be a major problem depending on the subject matter.

I have picked out four photos that I think are not too bad from those I took on the day but it seems I am going to have to wait for a more overcast day or go there at sunrise to get some decent shots of this subject.

Getting to know the subject is also important whatever medium you are working with, and I think that it was not just the light conditions that gave me a problem. It was also time and the need to figure out the best angles. Next time I will go better informed.

Update (22/03/2013) According to a friend of my sister –

The second photo has some lichens in as well as moss- the silvery flattish ones at the front which may be a Paramelia – and probably the red and silvey grey one – also a brown cupped one in the middle- these last 2 will be Cladonia species.

Moss Garden

Moss Garden

moss

moss

Peristomes

Ghostly Tree

Ghostly Tree

Reflections of Light

Upper Lliw Reservoir was catching the light last week when I enjoyed a walk up there as part of an interview for BBC Radio Wales about StillWalks.

Upper Lliw Reservoir

Upper Lliw Reservoir

Upper Lliw Reservoir

Upper Lliw Reservoir

What’s the Colour like at Upper Lliw Reservoir?

Hmmm! That’s a good question – you can’t tell what the colour is like from these photos. They were processed in Lightroom on my old Windows PC laptop and the colour is totally different to my old Mac laptop which is dull in comparison to my iMac. But the iMac is on the blink 🙁  – it needs a new graphics card. I calibrate my screens with the Datacolor Spyder 3 but there is only so far you can go with a laptop.

One lesson learned a number of years ago means that I can, at least, still work with the files from the iMac because they were all backed up – phew! However, I’m worried that the laptop is on its last legs as well, as it is old now and has given me one or two hints that it is struggling with the extra work load.

Lower Lliw Reservoir

Lower Lliw Reservoir

Upper Lliw Reservoir

Upper Lliw Reservoir

Patterns and Perspective Down at the Station

Taking an aimless walk on a sunny Sunday last weekend, I ended up at our local station where the patterns, colours and perspective of the track prompted me to use my camera –  which I had casually taken along with me . . . just in case!

gates

Gates and Railway

gates

Gates and Railway

Gates

Gates and Railway

Railway Platform

Railway Platform

Railway Station

Railway Station

Railway Tunnel

Ferris Wheels and Other Structures, York

Ferris wheels seem to pop up in every UK city on regular basis. The first one is in York but the second shot was taken on Boxing Day in Belfast a few years ago and the third in Swansea in 2012.

These are the last shots from my recce walk in York last February and the subject matter is not likely to feature in the final StillWalk video which I am working on now. First of all, the ferris wheel was not there in June when I did the production day, and secondly, it wasn’t on my walk route anyway – neither was the windmill, I just liked the structure.

The windmill is Holgate Windmill and it was strange and unexpected to see it suddenly appear through the trees and amongst the surrounding house roofs.

Ferris Wheel York

Ferris Wheel, York

City Walk Belfast

Ferris Wheel, Belfast

Ferris Wheel Swansea

Ferris Wheel Swansea

Holgate Windmill York

Holgate Windmill, York

Windmill, York

Windmill, York

Underside, York

I have featured the underside of bridges before (here) – this is Bishopsgate Bridge in York again. The patterns created by the structure of different bridges are fascinating and this one is totally different to those in that previous blog post.

Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Under Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Fascinating Patterns

Bishopsgate Bridge, York

Through Bishopsgate Bridge, York