Looking at the world through new eyes
When you move to a new country or go travelling everyday features of your life become similar yet strangely different. Landscapes, architecture, postboxes, light, flora & fauna. Like early explorers, botanists or specimen collectors, you look at things with new yet old eyes. Collating the similarities and comparing the differences.
Inspired by the graphic and modernist photographic plant studies by Karl Blossfeldt, I started my own collection. Going on walks locally, I sought out new inspiration and 'gathered specimens' that intrigued me.
Back in my studio, I photographed my finds in colour and then digitally started to transform them into the other-worldly discoveries that I saw. Digitally layering the images with wet-plate textures, grains and manipulating the contrast to recreate the dramatic yet ethereal tones of Victorian wet-plate portraits. The 'Specimens', structure, oddities and beautiful curves revealed themselves.
It's beautiful to have and take the time to really look at the natural beauty surrounding us.
Mindful walks gave me renewed insight into appreciating the beauty that I was passing by every day. Not since my twins had been very young had, I strolled so slowly through my neighbourhood. As toddlers, they picked at every leaf, gasped at every bug and wonder they saw. It didn't make for a quick walk but was an insight into the beauty surrounding us.
Modern life may not present this as the most practical way to get around. Still, I'll forego practical for wonderful every time.
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