A long, hot and windy day overlooking the Waterfront Celebrations.
Big skies,
Eventually followed by a great sunset and the fireworks.
Then for some a slow exit from the car park.
Contradictions
The project that this herd of nomadic photographic cats has been working on is changing gear. We are about to open a new show in May to coincide with the Photoeast festival. We tried to get space within this inaugural international festival but alas we were not gifted inclusion.
Being entrepreneurs of a certain age group we looked for a plan B and that is what is happening.
The show will be at the Beyond the Image gallery at Thornham Magna. Thornham Magna is half way up the A140 on that linear transport network linking Ipswich to Norwich. It used to be on the list of major trunk roads and motorways managed by the Highways Agency (renamed Highways England) but it got de-trunked – (yes that does happen to reduce costs and transfer responsibility away from the central Agency) and is now under the stewardship of Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils. Why mention this at all? Well the Photoeast festival although centered on Ipswich Wet Dock this year (one of the prime points of focus for our collaborative effort), is based around that other linear transport network being the East Suffolk railway line. There will be all sorts of stuff going on along that route including participation by one of our group members Bill Jackson at Halesworth Cut. Check out the Photoeast site for his details, and the details of his theme – it involves people and their dogs and should prove very popular.
Talking of popular, Thornham Magna is a very popular destination with quite a wide demographic. It was once favoured by Henry VIII no less as a place to go hunting.
Make a note in your diaries for this event though. Three very different contemporary viewpoints from three independent photographers. We open on a public holiday weekend so get this in your diary and we will love to see you there and talk about our work.
Bin there done that!
Following on from the previous post I was there on the Hehir back in August. As with all festive occasions there is a clear up cost.
Depending on the crowds in attendance, the clear up costs are not always black and white.
Grey area costs.
Any thoughts regarding Black and White or Colour?
I’m in two minds.
Hehir today gone tomorrow
I’ve been a tad croaky of late but I forced myself out to grab some shots of our docklands project with the last rays of sunshine on 31st December 2015.
It was hard to comprehend that three of us were up on the top of building to the left of the image for 12 hours during the second day of the Ipswich Maritime Festival in August. There will not be a festival this year but at some point we will scale the heights again for some significant event or other as we add more images to the pot to edit from.
Is anyone else out there taking part in photoeast? We have asked for a slot but we await news on that front. Somehow I think the event is all topped and tailed. Whatever happens it ought to be a good blast for contemporary photography in Suffolk.
In the meantime keep alert and making images.
Reworking old work
The weather has been against me of late with all the best large format weather being sacrificed to painting our refurbished sash windows. That was a job I was not expecting to have to do this autumn but it is just as well that I got on as we have nothing but rain since.
I have been re-working some images as a result of new scans and here is one from Melton – it is in the Edgelands exhibition but I believe this is a far better image having re-scanned and re-processed it.
British Sugar at Sproughton never made it onto the wall but it was in my book.
One of my Docklands images has also had a makeover. I’m not sure I have this one right at present.
Revisiting work and re-working it after having published it is an interesting experience. I suppose it is not unlike my ethic of re-visiting locations time and time again to make the work in the first place, When will it end?
Ipswich Maritime Festival
Our first visit with a purpose – to try and capture the vibes and atmosphere of the Maritime Festival as part of our Docklands project. In reverse order I will be posting some images that reflect my view of the day (pun intended!).
The climax of the day’s events is of course the fireworks display, now I must admit that this is my very first attempt at capturing fireworks and I was pleased with my results, here are a few to be going on with…
Don’t ask about the technical details – it just seemed to work, taken on my Fujifilm X-E1 with 18-55 set at 18mm, using Trigger Trap App on my Sony Xperia Z1 Compact… between 5 and 10 second exposures, f11 pre-focused on infinity.
Docklands project scales new heights
Ipswich Wet Dock & Tidal berths 24th July 2015
On Friday 24th July 3 likely lads from the EACG group scaled new heights and road tested the procedures for gaining access to the roof of the James Hehir building in Ipswich wet dock.
A view of the Wet Dock lock and grain berth, Ipswich 24th July 2015
The procedures went to plan. We will debrief when we next meet.
This time next week a PV is happening
This time next week we will be finalising the finishing touches to the Edgelands exhibition. I am very grateful for the support I have had from group members in getting this show on the wall. The encouragement and manpower offered has helped a great deal.
I hope to see as many of you as possible at the PV and I would welcome feedback on the show.
Thanks
TomO
An exhibition looms
I’ve been quite quiet of late. Much to do with the forthcoming exhibition.
Forgotten Suffolk
My project on forgotten Suffolk, has not yet taken form. I was toying with the type of subject matter I was used to, but I have seen so much more, and goy so many more ideas, I am rethinking my approach to content.
Today we discovered an old garage in New Buckenham with dilapidated Robin Reliants scattered almost haphazardly. just a few snaps…
RPS Contemporary East Anglia 