Diversions

Chris is primarily a landscape photographer, having a particular affection for the natural world.  He is also drawn to intimate landscapes.  And he showed us some of his intimate landscape images.

Somewhile ago, on a trip to the coast, he was unable to take any worthwhile seascapes as the cold and dismal conditions were totally unhelpful.  But his attention was caught by a gaggle of ladies intent on some sea bathing and he took some quick shots.  He was so pleased with the results (one image in particular) that the experience acted as a catalyst to start exploring some different photographic routes – or “diversions”.

Chris tries to be creative and likes to be “a bit different”.  This is not always easy.  But now, when he finds himself in circumstances where landscape photography isn’t possible, he seizes the opportunity for diversions into other aspects and styles of photography.

This lecture showcased a wide variety of images taken in urban locations as well as his creative and artistic work.

Urban – These pictures included candid and street photography in the UK (London and Eastbourne) and abroad (Deauville, New York, Gijon, Istanbul, Bilbao), both colour and in black & white.  Chris likes to find an interesting setting (an intimate cityscape) with some interesting lighting and then wait in just the right spot to catch some “action”.

Bilbao – Chris had a most enjoyable time photographing the Guggenheim Museum.  Designed by the late Frank Gehry, the extraordinary undulating exterior clad in titanium plates provided endless fascinating opportunities to explore everchanging light and reflections.  And the interesting interior also furnished huge scope for striking shots.  Chris found his exterior images worked best in colour while is interior ones were best in black & white.

Against the Glass – On a crowded day at Kew Gardens, Chris decided to shoot plants that were inside the Temperate House from the outside!  Condensation, mould, animal trails, and suchlike on the inside of the glass gave the images a natural textured overlay, producing some intriguing artistic interpretations of plant life.  He has found this to be an addictive project and is exploring other similar opportunities.

Hullscapes – In a boatyard in the Isle of Man, Chris photographed the hulls of boats.  Exposure and the natural wear and tear of usage had produced all sorts of appealing effects.  With just a little imagination, and the occasional vertical flip, he could see abstract impressions of landscapes and seascapes.

Venice – Visiting Venice with some photographer friends, in out-of-season January, Chris had spent quite some time photographing the beautiful memorials in the San Michele Cemetery (on Isola San Michele in the Venetian Lagoon).  In due course, he used some of the many images, enhanced with overlaid textures and other adjustments of his own, to produce the panel of prints which earned him his FRPS distinction.  He showed us how he had processed the images, the 20 individual images used for the panel, and the final panel itself.

Chris has been producing pictures for many years and looks for “variety and versatility” in his photography.  His grounding in landscape photography has proved useful in his diversions.  And equally his diversions have taken him outside his landscape comfort zone and have thereby enriched his landscape work.

This entertaining and instructive lecture, with its melange of high-class images, amply demonstrated both the diversity and the quality of his work.  Clearly, there is much to be gained from “diversions”.

More about Chris and his work can be found on his website: https://www.chrispalmerphotographer.co.uk