Salvador Dali said that, 'Surrealism is destructive'. It seems counter-intuitive to think of art as destructive, when it is such a creative process. Surely the purpose of art is to construct? And photography, as an art-form, creates or constructs a record of a moment in time. So perhaps to apply Dali’s definition of Surrealism to our photography, we need to partially destroy our images and distort that record in post-production?
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For my next set of Thursday Trios I am focusing on art. I’ve borrowed a quote from Camus, a French author and philosopher, an absurdist and existentialist. I've also arguably borrowed a certain sense of the absurd for this gallery, but I don’t claim it to be philosophical in any sense!
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The universities of Oxford and Cambridge (often shortened to ‘Oxbridge’) are known the world over for the quality of the education they provide, their many illustrious alumni and their long history. They dominate the towns in which they are based, giving each a unique atmosphere. Both towns are within easy reach of London and make for an interesting day trip from the capital.
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As we head into what our weather forecasters are calling an ‘unprecedented heatwave’ in south east England (temperatures predicted to top 40F for the first time ever), my main thought at the moment is how to stay cool. OK, not cool; that may prove impossible! But at least, not too hot!
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Try to forget what objects you have before you - a tree, a house, a field, or whatever. Merely think, 'Here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow,' and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact colour and shape, until it gives you your own impression of the scene before you.
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Vienna must be one of the most elegant cities in Europe. Its small scale gives it an air of intimacy that contrasts with the grandeur of many of its buildings. That’s an appealing combination.
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Around a 450 year old fort on the edge of the Thar Desert a small town has grown up, consisting of little more than a market, some shops and a bus station. These serve the surrounding rural community and those who work in the fort, which is today is both home to the Thakurs, former rulers of the Kingdom of Khimsar, who built it, and also a heritage hotel.
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Reflections really add something to a landscape, perhaps because they allow us to ‘see double’. Already beautiful scenery is enhanced by being presented to us a second time, often rippled or distorted in an upside-down version of itself.
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When composing photos I find I usually do one of two things. I either follow the ‘rule of thirds’ (roughly) or I look for symmetry. The latter works best for architecture, for portraits (human or animal) and for some close-up and macro shots.
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Smile when your beloved makes you happy, let them know when they make you mad, and miss them when they’re not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect people don’t exist, but there’s always one person that is perfect for you.
