Sunday 26 September 2010

The different sides to strength in women

I was thinking of some images that I would like to create, what story I'd like to tell. I've had a few ideas for projects that I'm in various stages of. Some still only exist in my mind and it's about time to get them started.

After thinking up a view in my mind's eye, I called up a good friend who I thought would suit this image, right down to the concerned expression. We talked over the project concept and decided on poses. On a perfectly sunny and cloudy day in Oxford, we set to work creating stories.

I've had the idea of doing a few ongoing project. Ongoing because I will add to them as and when I can, but I'm not sure they will have a defined end point. One of the projects I came up with was about strong women. I wanted to do a series of portraits of women owning their space and commanding their destiny.

However, I didn't want to limit it to overt displays of strength, or the stereotypical masculine images of strength. You can be strong, do the hard but correct thing, and feel terrible while doing it. Or like leaving a long relationship that you realised was weakening you slowly like a disease, you did the strong thing but you still think about what you left and where you are going.

Because of these nuances, I wanted to start the series with a set of images of a lady on her journey. The decision has been made to go, to leave. The hard part is done. But questions still remain.

 ADP

Friday 24 September 2010

Seriously!

Damn, what a few weeks. I've been working hard on some corporate imagery. I've been working hard on a wedding album. I've been working hard on some portraits. I've been working hard on some plans that I really want to get running, too. Some exciting projects that I'm eager to make moves with. I've even been trying to figure out how to use an app on my Android phone that  thought could help me jot down some ideas and save me time in organizing thoughts and plans. Except, I really can't figure out how to use it. It's like a Mensa-made jot pad. I'm obviously not part of the group. :-(

Although the most interesting thing that happened to me was when I was scheduled to have a meeting to discuss important top secret business. It got canceled on the day. One of the main attendees forgot it was his birthday.

Yeah, seriously!

Thursday 2 September 2010

I [insert expletive] love it!!!

You can't really ask for a better response to your hard work.


Every piece is special. Some are more special. After nurturing the birth of the idea, I had yet to find out a) if the image was suitable and b) if the image would turn out to be too big. What on earth am I talking about?! Ah yes, I have sort of started in the middle. So we'll take if from the top. Quickly.

Client comes to me with a request. "Angus, I'd like something different." Excellent!


We sat. We chatted. I had a laugh with her husband. If I was the art director on this piece, you could say he ended up being the logistics manager. So what did she want?

A panorama. A cityscape panorama.


I thought for quite a while. Then, like suddenly opening your eyes to light rain, the idea dawned on me. However I should be clear that what I thought of was not an image. No, the excitement was the method of taking the image rather than the buildings in the image itself. You see, the problem with London panoramas is that most of the angles of the London skyline have been photographed a million times over. So what you need is a new angle or a new paintbrush with which to paint the same features.

I didn't have my personal helicopter to take me around. It was having an MOT. :-(


After a few research trips and a few test images, and a few chronic duds, I realised how this can be done. I have to say it is one of my proudest pieces to date. After getting it printed, I can honestly say I was sad for two reasons: 1. I have to give it away. 2. Very few people will see it in it's full glory. Two and a half meters wide! I really do urge people to get more things printed. A good print can invoke so much more feeling.


But for those who never got to see it, here's the next best thing. Hope you like it!

ADP