This picture which looks like the remnants of a dystopian Wasteland, started with an upturned bike with its wheels removed. I came across it on a back street in Pottergate, Norwich. The mountain of scrap metal (including the car!) was in a big yard in Yarmouth. The premises belong to EMR Group Scrap Metal, on the Southgate Rd. opposite the junction with Queens Rd. It was a photo opportunity I couldn’t miss. Marrying the two aspects came by experimentation, as I was looking for what scenario to use the bicycle. The disparity between sizes added to the surreal effect. Lastly came the skyline which I’ve filled with the Ferris Wheel from Yarmouth beach. I have distorted it to fill the picture and give the image some ‘movement ‘. I applied a different filter to each component to distinguish their place in the montage. The title came at the very end and the irony wasn’t lost on me……..
Going Nowhere
I have always wanted to photograph a farm building that is set on its own, in a large field. It can be found on Long Lane, a short cut from the A148 Fakenham by-pass, to the Wells road. The extraordinary buildings address is 95-99 Fakenham Rd. E.Barsham. I just think it is a remarkable structure. I have of course duplicated and arrayed the image. Anyway…. in a different universe and a dissident time continuum, I was looking for a background to accompany the photo I took of the boat. This is a balsa wood model my father brought back from the Maldives when he was posted to RAF Gan in the late 60’s. He had the protective ‘house’ made especially, measuring 70cm at the base, and 60cm to the top, to be shipped home. Of course the model is worse for wear and is missing the cloth sails it had. I was looking to mirror the apex of the box and building. I have applied a filter to blend the two subjects.
Two Stars; One Dead
Repeating myself (ad nauseum), I maintain that I didn’t start this picture with any idea of a considered objective. The image started (in the sky) with the flagstones and the semi-circular metal (copper?) runner for a set of gates (no longer there) at St. John’s RC Cathedral in Norwich. In the foreground is a water feature, with steps running down, which is part of the Ceremonial Pool, on the Great Verandah at the entrance to the Australian Parliment building. The fire in the top of an oil barrel came next, probably from a firework party. The remains of a bonfire was from a camping trip in North Norfolk (I had to photograph it – as you do). I added the people (from another source) and the ‘stars’ to complete and realise a narrative – unwittingly…..well..after introducing the bonfire remains, as an experiment, the picture developed a theme. I was more interested in the curves and the composition.
What Is It Good For?
I created this picture back in 2009 for ‘something to do ‘. One could call it displacement activity, as I didn’t take it seriously. And so it languished in the portfolio library until recently. I discovered it whilst scrolling through the computer archive and thought of reviving it. After a couple of minor edits and not altering the image, I was satisfied enough to to add it to the website. I was ‘doodling’ when I constructed this and thought of it as a ‘fun’ piece.
The World Keeps On Turning
This scene is set on the seafront walkway in Yarmouth. The particular spot is under the Britannia Pier, with the metal staircase going up to the pier. I liked the shadow created and the lines of the concrete steps and metal shutters. Without rhyme or reason I introduced the fairground Orbiter (see also ‘G-Force’) which I had photographed in Hunstanton. I enlarged, dragged and cropped the contraption so it fitted convincingly. In between the steps going up was a background of people and the beach beyond. I cut them away and looked for something to fill the spaces. I needed a shot of the sun shining towards the camera to complete the composition and light direction. I eventually came across the photo of the Ferris Wheel on Yarmouth beach. Then the narrative defined the title.
Hotch-Potch Landscape 2
This photo was taken somewhere between Adelaide and Broken Hill in South Australia (I think!). Here we have a large wheat field, recently harvested, with black cattle grazing. What I have done is taken two copies from the original photograph. I then cut through criss-cross sections and round holes from the top copy to reveal the underlying layer. I applied a drop shadow to embolden the image. I thought as an experiment, it had a strong visual impact. Hotch-Potch means a confused mixture. I’m not too happy with the low res thumbnail representation because it looks a bit out of focus……
Reach
Visiting the annual Royal Norfolk Show, I took advantage of the photographic opportunities on offer. Here we have a commercial stand that was displaying different fork lift trucks. These are correctly known as Counterbalance Lift Trucks. Those in the foreground were exhibited together. There was another collection, which I have separated and silhouetted to fill the spaces behind. I was looking for a background and considered a three quarter view of a block of flats, but wasn’t impressed or convinced. The picture I selected was the photo I took of some plastic sheeting that I stuffed into an outside wheelie bin. It was the thick clear plastic that protected a new washing machine that I had unpacked. It filled the top of the bin perfectly, so I HAD to photograph it. I applied a filter to soften it.
Windows 2
I saw this Parabolic Grid Antenna at the RAF Air Defence Museum at Neatishead. I took a few a few photos of this outside exhibit, because I liked the curved structure. I isolated it from its original placement and set it against a more interesting cloudscape. I photographed this vista from the top deck of a bus; I was on my way to Norwich from Mattishall and the flat countryside and the ‘big sky’ was too good to miss. The recessed skylights are in the ceiling of Chantry Place Shopping Mall. I have curved them (to reflect the radar) and reduced their opacity. The one window I left is the prominent one, top right which strangely looks like a ship/boat/spacecraft ?
Gridlock
Visiting the Royal Norfolk Show, I came across this metal cage which looked quite interesting. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but took a few photos anyway. I now know it is a Cattle Crush, which secures the animal whilst it is being examined or treated. This model is the Tamar Squeeze, manufactured by L.M. Bateman at Cheddleton, Staffs. There were some side panels which I have cut away, and duplicated a couple of wheels, which I tacked on also. I put the ‘Lock’ and ‘Unlock’ labels on the frame too, hence the title. Looking for a background to set the frame against, was a long process. Eventually I selected a cropped shot of a jetty in Queensland somewhere. I applied a filter to give it a gritty effect, and darkened it a bit to give some contrast for the main image.
Brick Harbour
I decided to put this image in the COASTAL category for four reasons. The picture started with the interesting brick wall ( ancient and modern) which I photographed on Station Rd., opposite the Post Office at Well-Next-The-Sea. Then came the metal ring that is used for the ropes to tie-off the boats on South Quay, Yarmouth. The rope came from the bottom of a boat, moored at The Quay in Blakeney. The last item was the boat. I took the photo, looking down from a pedestrian bridge that spans a concrete slipway at West Cliff in Sheringham. These components don’t have anything in common concerning size. I had the idea of turning the left hand portion of the wall into water, by distorting and applying a filter to give the desired result. (Convincing?……hmmm). I introduced the reflection of the sun and created the sparkling effect with a special paintbrush.