Kinghorn and Country

On this day we were treated to intense skies and silver light. I've always wanted to visit Kinghorn. It's always seemed rather exotic, with it's mixture of schemes and Georgian grandiose. It also has this view and a wonderful calmness to it. Like the gently lapping sea sifts the pain out of living.



Pettycur Harbour is a proper Gem and seemed to have a thriving community, with what seemed to be working fishermen gathered together chatting in the sunshine. The boat yard cat seemed to have some learning difficulties but we got on just fine. I think he's just terribly misunderstood!



This was probably the last nice day of the year and there should have been lot's more people walking along the shore, but it was quiet and peaceful. Perhaps Kinghorns obscurities will be it's saviour  and help to keep it a bit weird and wonderful.

I bet it's truly magical in the winter.......     I have to return.

Moments

The joys of walking. Just walking along with my camera in my hand or over my shoulder. Wandering aimlessly taking endless pictures with my mind. I frame every scene in 3:2 and snap with every blink, I occasionally take a real photo, but this all depends on how instinctive I am feeling. Street photography is all about instincts and capturing a moment. Obviously moments are happening all the time and some moments for a lot longer than others. The fact that we remember our lives in moments,significant moments,that serve as book marks or post it notes structuring our pasts,has made us-as humans-develop the means of capturing them physically.



"Often while traveling with a camera we arrive just as the sun slips over the horizon of a moment, too late to expose film, only time enough to expose our hearts." ~Minor White

Perhaps I do get some satisfaction from seeing a moment I would wish to capture but am too late to. Seeing with a photographers eye offers me a window into the beauty and honesty of our monotonous lives and even without physically capturing them I am exposed to the idea and artistic relevance for a fraction of time 'the moment'. Seeing in photographs often gives me a shallower view of the world. A framed view,with blinkered eyes,only open to the extremities of my compositions.



This however is the photographers focus. A place for Zen and meditation. An afternoon, a day, perhaps a week can disappear into the ether when the 'photographers focus' is enabled. I find myself lost there with a scrap book of other peoples memories. I am happy there. More happy and content than ever before. I am free there. Free from the negativity and the pressures of being me and I never want to leave.

Skateboarding (my first love)

Chris 'switch kickflip'


Skateboarding, My first love. The first thing I truly got obsessed with. As a child Skateboarding encompassed everything I enjoyed in life. Rebellion,sticking it to the system and generally falling over (a lot). It introduced me to music and dress sense and gave me a sense of belonging, something I'd been longing for. I learn't to appreciate individuality and healthy competition,out with 'High School Sports'. As I grew up it became more and more important to me and during my angst ridden teenage years became a constant source of pain and frustration for me. We didn't have an indoor Skatepark in Peterborough so when it rained I used to get so angry and had nowhere else to release this anger but on my parents and any hard surface close enough to punch. This lasted until I found music and other paths of creation to help release the tension.

Me 'Hardflip' in my boat shoes (photo by C.Niemc,edit by me)


I am still truly in love with 'Skating' it has become a part of me and will be until I am gone. She introduced me to some of my best friends and SURFING, the thing that makes me most happy today.

Chris frontside tailslide

a duck in the graveyard

So I've returned to 35mm and had some mild success.

I love my 80's Pentax P30! Yeah she's a bit temperamental and yeah she's heavy, But man does she make me happy! It's a different sort of photography. A slightly less spontaneous craft, with more thought and measured timing involved due to the expense,time consumption and convoluted aspects of processing film.



It does look great though!

Kam Chan's Camera Obscura @ Axolotl Gallery

If I write about other Photographers or Artists it is usually because they inspire me. But not today, as today I am writing about an Artist because they just blew my mind!

I wandered casually into the Axolotl Gallery (as I do) and wandered around in a clockwork direction (as I do) to be greeted by the illustrative type works of Paul Mowat and Catherine Clark. These were all great works with Paul's work being very subtle but atmospheric depictions of people using the subway(interesting idea for oil paintings) and Catherine's work being bold and energetic portraits with an almost unfinished Dali-esq vibe to them-that were very beautiful and unsettling in a way.

After seemingly finishing my wander I stopped to speak to the Owner Sarah Wilson and other staff about the exhibition who explained there was more to see, namely Kam Chan's Camera Obscura. I was ushered into the back room through some thick curtains, only to be bathed in complete darkness except a small square of light being cast through the middle of a Blacked out window. I had been told what to expect but for some reason hadn't really comprehended what it was I was about to experience. As my eyes got used to the darkness shapes started to appear across the walls and it suddenly dawned on me that I was standing inside a giant Pin Hole Camera! I was surrounded by the projected silhouettes of upside down New Town Tenements and as my brain started to unravel the mystery little details started to show themselves to me. I stood in wonderment for a couple of minutes transfixed and hypnotised by the subtle movement of the trees and changing light and thought to myself what a beautiful thing I was experiencing. I couldn't quite believe it and neither will you.

Altered Images is on at Axolotl Gallery on Dundas Street until the 4th of June and I urge everyone to go. It has to be one of the best installations I have ever seen.

lewis through the woods

I have recently bought a bicycle and the sense of freedom it has brought is priceless. The bike has paid for itself in joy ten fold already.

I implore everyone to get out on your bikes. I am discovering the surrounding area of Edinburgh and am finding new treats everywhere. Next stop Scotland, Britain, then Europe and only nature knows where I will end up, Happy as Larry and all tuckered out!

She towers above me

She towers above me a photo by Esperanza del futuro(impossible to catch up) on Flickr.

She towers above me

When she cries I drown
When she laughs I am deafened
And when she sings,
I am in heaven

She towers above me

With stars in her eyes
And the sun in her smile
Her head in the clouds
And the wind in her hair

For she towers above me

A giant in my mind
Too tall to climb
An aeroplane I cannot fly
A lift I cannot ride

For she towers above me

And I am not worthy

Maple Sapling The start of a long struggle

Maple Sapling The start of a long struggle a photo by Esperanza del futuro(been away) on Flickr.

The fragility of new life.
The Precipice on which we start our climb
and the sky's that we reach for.

I Stumbled across this Maple sapling on the forest floor,with nothing else around it but fallen blossom. It was growing out of an old tree stump and was occasionally teased with a small amount of dappled sunlight the dense canopy would let through. I almost felt sorry for the little thing. I'm not sure it will make it.

Louis in the arch

Louis in the arch a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

The early spring has bought plenty of sunshine and also plenty of time to enjoy it(due to the live music scene being rather slow this time of year). I have been spending a lot of time taking photos in old haunts of mine along with Louis who is getting back into Photography,with his new pretty little Ricoh GX200. It's so inspiring to take photos with friends and to re-visit all the places I used to go for walks when I lived in Stockbridge. It's a truly beautiful place right in the centre of the city and I think myself exceedingly lucky to have spent 4 years of my life there.

So where do I buy my ticket

So where do I buy my ticket a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

Second part of my 'Two bridges with nowhere to cross' series. This isn't a staged shot but because of the flat light I think I might have to go back and re-stage with a more dynamic sky. The reflections are great and the composition turned out perfectly for the mood I was trying to create,the problem is the lack of contrast between the sky and the sea.

This series is trying to convey the problems I am having with making decisions in my life. I inevitably regret every decision I make and am looking for some confidence. My art helps with this but I still struggle with who I am and what I am supposed to be doing. Where I am meant to be heading and where I have come from.

Please listen to my new track titled 'Two bridges with nowhere to cross' below in my soundcloud player.

Two bridges with nowhere to cross

Two bridges with nowhere to cross a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

South Queensferry has always inspired me. It's an awesome place with unbelievable views of the two bridges crossing the Forth. It's So close to the city but still seems to offer a real detachment from the hubub of metropolis living. The smell of seaweed and the sound of Oyster Catchers gives me such a wonderful feeling. An inner peace and hopefulness that always causes me to reflect on my life and where I am heading. The truth is I don't know and no matter how hard I look I see no obvious path to take.

the gift of the sunshine 1st day of spring

the gift of the sunshine 1st day of spring a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

Betula Shining a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

Yesterday was the first day of spring,myself and Louis spent the day walking and sitting in the warm sunshine. The atmosphere in Edinburgh yesterday was completely different. Like the peoples troubles and pains had been washed away or at least temporarily numbed by the soft and warm rays of this years first sign of summer being on it's way. We sat in George Square in the University of Edinburgh's campus and the students giggles and joyous chatterings were carried on the strong breeze,bringing hope and relief from my daily pressures. I took lots of photo's and hopefully captured the atmosphere. It was a truly lush day.

Please look at the rest of the photo's in this set on my Flickr page

Whistling busker Cinematic

Whistling busker Cinematic +1 in comments a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

The whistling busker has been in this same spot for over 10 years. When I first moved to Edinburgh he was standing in this underpass serenading me as I past by on my way to college. He doesn't sing but whistles the vocal lines and melodies to classics like 'Hey Jude' and 'Mr. Tambourine Man'.

He's a legend.......

'Best Friends Forever' and 'Bus stop and bokeh' Cinematic crops

Best Friends Forever Cinematic Crop

Best Friends Forever Cinematic a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

Bus Stop and Bokeh Cinematic Crop

Bus stop and bokeh cinematic crop a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

Maybe I'm getting carried away but I am totally in love with the aesthetics of the 'Cinematic' crop. I am being constantly inspired by the simplest of images with the knowledge that I can crop into 'anamorphic' and create a completely different atmosphere and intensity.

Here's a link to another awesome 'Cinematic' photographer I have just discovered: Dj Poe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djpoe/

Cinematic crops

This is my favourite type of photography at the moment. For me it's all about creating a Cinematic/Film Noir esq atmosphere. I will pretty much only crop shots like this in Black and White but it is not essential to the 'effect'. The trick is to crop the photo into an 'Anamorphic' format. A technique of capturing a widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film with a non-widescreen native aspect ratio. There are some tremendous photographers out there who have mastered this technique that inspire me to take shots like these. I will attach some links to the bottom of this post.

Sheltering from the rain a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

The background image to this page

If smoking wasn't so cool cinematic a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.


Links to a few of my favourite cinematic photographers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/essecento/ Simone Cento  
http://www.flickr.com/photos/my_own_prison/ my own prison
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32821471@N04/ Louis Bork

henry doing the washing up (Explored)

henry doing the washing up (Explored) a photo by Esperanza del futuro on Flickr.

This is the photo that made me start this Blog in the first place. I found it on a blog and then followed an endless trail of re-blogs. Which probably explains why It has had almost 1000 views on my flickr account. It made me realise that doing a blog is probably a good idea and a great means to shameless self promotion!

I took this with my Analogue Pentax P30 camera on the Pro Kodak Portra Film. It definitely is the best film for these sorts of low light heavy contrast shots. I just wish my Pentax wasn't so temperamental otherwise I'd shoot film the whole time.

Photography

The last photo I took

bus stop and bokeh a photo by Esperanza del futuro(impossible to catch up) on Flickr.

BLOG ONE:

Where to start? I guess from the beginning or maybe from the end,because that's where I began this journey. A journey into self discovery. About a year ago I was left an empty shell,only half a man. A soulless,lifeless entity with nothing but shallow remorse and deep scars. But this is where I was saved. Saved by Music and Photography. The music as an outlet for my bleeding heart and the photography an outlet for my stifled artistic soul that needed to capture the world I could no longer see through the depressed haze of self pity and loathing.

I am still waiting for my resurrection. But slowly and surely pieces of me are falling back into place. This is the world I can see and hear now. A world of beauty and a world of exciting juxtapositions.

Who am I? I think I'm about to find out.


My Photography http://www.flickr.com/photos/53358681@N04/

My Music http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ghost-of-Joseph-Seal-Music-and-Photography/158443444194706