Creative block.

This post was supposed to have been loaded last week but I forgot, I lay the blame squarely at the door of the commonly known “public holiday disorder syndrome” or PHDS!

What makes a good image? That is the million dollar question! Why is it that many of the “celebrated” master photographer’s images leave me cold? Ansel Adams, was one of the fore fathers of black and white landscape photography and widely considered to be a master. Quite frankly I find most of his images a tad dull….perhaps I don’t understand them or perhaps 60 years ago they were on the cutting edge? Who knows?  Why is it that sometimes you look at one of your images and think it’s a masterpiece one day and the next think it s a load of crap?

I found that during periods when I was quite actively taking pictures, I got into the frame of mind where everything was seen in terms of a photograph. Nine times out of ten you didn’t have your camera ready or with you at those particular moments……..

After I left school I decided to purchase a new camera. I beg borrowed and stole enough money to buy a Pentax 7000i. This was a pretty advanced camera at that time, it had auto focus and auto exposure. For some reason I never really got any great results of it (probably handler error) so it resulted in a loss of interest for about 10 years in which time I occupied myself with wine, women and song! I eventually sold it to a friend of mine whose wife put it to great use photographing their 3 children’s every move. She must have a photo collection to match a photography school archive!

I don’t think I actually have any worthwhile pictures that I have taken with that camera in my collection, so there’s nothing to post from that era! Funnily enough, since writing the post above, “creative block”, I have had a week or two of feeling particularly inspired.

Here are a few shots I have taken in the past 2 weeks.

This picture was taken at 5:30 am in Pietermaritzburg. It was to be a super hot day and the heat haze shrouded the city in a blanket. I loved the mood of this scene with this poor guy out early , searching for scrap metal, trying his best to eek out a living.

One Sunday Afternoon, feeling the need to be creative, I went for a drive and this is what I stumbled upon. The light wasnt perfect but I liked the contrasts in the scene.

This picture was rather ordinary until I reduced the colour temperature. It suddenly brought the image to life and made it quite intriguing I think.

Eighty meters below me from the arch in the new Durban Stadium, I watched with interest as final preparations for the World cup 2010 were underway.

This picture below is of a friend of mine and pro kayaker, Steve Fisher. He was in Durban doing a publicity stunt (which I cant say right now, its top secret!) Anyway he smuggled me in as the professional photographer from Red Bull. It was great to see the production being made and I think I got a few good shots too. (yes I know his feet are cut off and it bothers me too a little!)  I love the construction worker looking at him curiously however.

Next week, what is the difference between a photograph and an image.