Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
I've just recently become aware of the work of John Blakemore, initially through a few works of his which appear online, and now through the arrival of his book, "John Blakemore's Black and White Photography Workshop". Anyone here have this book?
There is an archive of his work at Birmingham Library, and here's an 11-minute video regarding that:
Anyway, I'm finding his book a challenge - a positive challenge. Some of what he says I recognise in my own inner mumblings, but, of course, he is much more articulate and elegant in the way he says it. Plus there are things I haven't thought about, but instinctively feel I should have been thinking about.
Chapter One discusses the three R's - Relationship, Recognition and Realisation. The first is your relationship with your environment, whatever environment that might be. The second is the decisive moment of shutter pressing. The third is the darkroom and preparation for the print. I've only read the first part: Relationship.
"Description versus transformation: my practice is based upon the recognition of such oppositions..."
Rarely have I tried to give a straight description of a scene/subject. Since I started this photography lark I realised that a photograph is not the reality it depicts. A photograph can't but transform a scene into something other. The question is What does the scene say to you, what is your relationship with it, and how can you capture the essence of that?
I've filed this thread under Inspirational Stuff, and hope the book keeps stimulating me. I'm sure it will.
There is an archive of his work at Birmingham Library, and here's an 11-minute video regarding that:
Anyway, I'm finding his book a challenge - a positive challenge. Some of what he says I recognise in my own inner mumblings, but, of course, he is much more articulate and elegant in the way he says it. Plus there are things I haven't thought about, but instinctively feel I should have been thinking about.
Chapter One discusses the three R's - Relationship, Recognition and Realisation. The first is your relationship with your environment, whatever environment that might be. The second is the decisive moment of shutter pressing. The third is the darkroom and preparation for the print. I've only read the first part: Relationship.
"Description versus transformation: my practice is based upon the recognition of such oppositions..."
Rarely have I tried to give a straight description of a scene/subject. Since I started this photography lark I realised that a photograph is not the reality it depicts. A photograph can't but transform a scene into something other. The question is What does the scene say to you, what is your relationship with it, and how can you capture the essence of that?
I've filed this thread under Inspirational Stuff, and hope the book keeps stimulating me. I'm sure it will.
