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  #11  
Old 27th August 2011, 09:13 AM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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I blame all those glossy photo magazines! They are always running articles about the "best" photographic locations. They even list the "best" times to go! As if...... No wonder we see so many photographic cliches - usually in colour for some reason.
Dorset - Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove.
Yorkshire Dales - Swaledale barns, Aysgarth Falls.
North Yorkshire coast - west pier at Whitby, wreck, Black Nab.
And so on. There is no harm in this trophy hunting approach to photography if it's what interests you, but it does lead to a lot of anonymous, and it has to be said, rather superficial photographs, and areas of the country being judged according to how many photographic honey pots they contain.
Personally I am much happier photographing things that mean something to me, usually through long association. I try to make photographs that say something about how I feel about the subject, and for other photographers with this personal approach every square mile of the country is of potential interest. North, south, Rast and West. Even Wales and Scotland! Even Teesside! (where I was born)
Earlier this year I went on a walking holiday to the Pembrokeshire coast. My first visit. A wonderful place, but I didn't take any photographs. I wasn't there long enough to get to know it.
For me geting to know somewhere can take years. I have lived near the Yorkshire Wolds for eight years but only started to take photographs there a few weeks ago. James mentions the Yorkshire wolds in his original post. He says they are an interesting place to visit but not to photograph. This made me smile. I have become abslutely bowled over at the prospect of photographing there, but it is not an easy place to deal with.

Les makes an interesting point about light being the important thing. I'm not sure I entirely agree with this Les, if you mean that you want a certain kind of light. At the moment I am happy to photograph the Wolds in any light, just to be absorbed in the process of doing it; which is as important to me as the end result. So far my best pictures of the Wolds were take under dark ominous skies, with cloud shadows and patches of sunlight running over the huge fields. But I am more than happy to explore other lighting conditions.

Alan
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  #12  
Old 27th August 2011, 09:58 AM
Tony Marlow Tony Marlow is offline
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Tony
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  #13  
Old 27th August 2011, 10:00 AM
les dix les dix is offline
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I agree with what Alan says. I have lived near a particular spot for over twenty years but I only started seeing its photographic potential in the past five years or so and this has turned into a project (some pics are in 'landscape in transition' in the albums section).

This summer I went to Skye for a week and had a lovely time and some good weather but got very little out of it photographically.

Les
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  #14  
Old 27th August 2011, 10:02 AM
Dave miller Dave miller is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Marlow View Post
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Tony
But some are myopic.
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Dave
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  #15  
Old 27th August 2011, 10:07 AM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Thanks Les. I'm pleased to know it's not just me then!

Alan
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  #16  
Old 27th August 2011, 10:16 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I have to Agree with Les, it is great light that makes a great photograph, wherever you are there are terrific photo oppertunities just waiting for a camera and film, just wait for the right light, Living in Jersey I am blessed with some tremendos scenery and for three months of the year some great light almost all day, and good light in Summer, and France is just 12 miles away, close enough to just hop a ferry for an hour,so I have the best of both worlds,
Richard
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  #17  
Old 27th August 2011, 10:29 AM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Many years ago John Blakemore told me that he spent two years photographing a small stream in Derbyshire. He only went in Winter, and he went every Sunday morning and made photographs in whatever light prevaled at the time. He didn't wait for "great" light, but he produced what looked to me like wonderful photographs.
There is a parallel here, I think with the Impressionist painters. They painted the effect of light on their subject, but Cezanne, an associate of the Impressionists, concentrated on the subject itself.

Alan
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  #18  
Old 27th August 2011, 10:49 AM
big paul big paul is offline
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the whole of the uk is the best place to make great images we have got it all. obviously I like to take photos in the place that I live because of the personal connection.
by the way essex is a very underrated county.



essex the last resting place of the cockney
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  #19  
Old 27th August 2011, 11:12 AM
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Les McLean Les McLean is offline
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Les makes an interesting point about light being the important thing. I'm not sure I entirely agree with this Les, if you mean that you want a certain kind of light. Alan[/QUOTE]


That's not what I meant Alan. I've always been happy to photograph in whatever light there is when I go out, the only exception is that I hate very bright, brittle sunlight although I will explore those condidtions if I think the subject will benefit from them. I have to say that when I have made exposures in bright sunlight I'm often unhappy with the result. Perhaps it's my eye and not the condidtions!!!!!!
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  #20  
Old 27th August 2011, 11:53 AM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
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Thanks Les. I understand what you are saying.
Best wishes for your retirement by the way, and not too much "brittle" light!

Alan
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