Why, Where, and How
19th January 2021
Resting Stag
Why?
To answer this question I have to turn back the clock many years reaching back to my childhood, when I use to spend countless hours, days even, just out and about discovering what nature was all about. I can still remember to this day my first Kingfisher sighting on the river, my first fox cubs playing in the late summer evening light in a meadow, and let's not forget my first Watervole sighting which lead to me falling in the stream (a story for another day).
During all these times I never thought of taking pictures, I was just happy with the memories given to me. I never thought anyone else would be interested in my world, why would they?
As the years passed, I realised that my life was quite different from most peoples and that very few people ever got to see the sights that I took for granted. And so it began, I started to create pictures of the world that surrounded me, little did I know where this would lead to many years later.
For me now my photography is all about capturing the beauty of the natural world, showing its magical and unique moments, capturing a moment that will last a lifetime.
After the image has been achieved, I then encapsulate the moment in time in a large format fine art print that can bring nature into peoples homes and lives. I always hope that my artwork has an emotional content that allows people to connect with the natural world more closely.
Where?
As my photography has developed over the years, I have travelled far less and spent more time working on my local patch. A few miles from home I can be either in the Surrey or Sussex Hills or the unique Hampshire chalk streams and woodlands, my choice of subjects is never ending. I have a lifetime of subjects on my doorstep.
Staying local for me is the key to everything. Getting to know your subjects well is vital. Time watching will show you that both the landscape and wildlife follow patterns and rhythms. Learn these and the pictures will follow. It takes time, but the results are worth it.
How?
I am the least technical person you could ever meet. I'm not too fond of modern cameras with all their menus buttons etc. as for me this is not what photography is about.
I love to keep things nice and simple and enjoy my time in nature. To prove the point my main working cameras are now over ten years old and I see no reason why I will change this in the foreseeable future. They just work and produce beautiful print files for me to develop.
The most significant factor in capturing my images is light. Get the right lighting on your subject, and magic will happen.
Lighting in our world changes continuously through endless cycles of day and night. In my opinion it's at the very edges of these times that we see the very best light.
90% of my work is created in the first hour before and after sunrise. At this time of day the light has a very special soft feel, that suits my subjects.
The biggest piece of advice I can give any photographer or artist is just to go and spend time in nature and learn her patterns and rhythms, she's not shy. She will show you everything you need to know about capturing beautiful images. As they say, you don't need an expensive camera to take priceless pictures.
I hope some of these insights help. The above Why, Where, and How have certainly defined my photographic journey so far.
To see more of my work, please visit my gallery at https://www.peterrhoadesphotography.co.uk/gallery.html