Articles

Up in the air

The making of a photograph

Michael Pilkington

Having visited the Highlands of Iceland a few times before, and seeing some of the images that can be had from a higher perspective, I was motivated to acquire a drone. It really brings a new perspective to this wild and beautiful landscape.

Self-portraits in landscape photography

Michael Pilkington

When I speak of self-portraiture, I do not mean placing ourselves physically in the frame. I mean something subtler. A landscape image becomes a form of self-portrait when it reveals something of the photographer’s inner world.

Working in another light

Paul Gallagher

Infrared photography invites us to work in another light, quite literally. It reveals a version of the landscape that the eye cannot see and, in doing so, challenges many of our assumptions about exposure, contrast and conditions. What began for me as a technical experiment gradually became a les...

Write Off

The Making of a Photograph

Mark Lawrence

Discovering a fascinating beauty in the industrial wasteland alongside the Thames.

Evening Mists - Yellow Mountain

The Making of a Photograph

Paul Gallagher

Preconceptions often serve to misguide us as to what will come of reality.

When is a photograph finished?

When it becomes a photograph

Michael Pilkington

The life of an image extends beyond capture and editing. It begins in the field with intention, moves through careful refinement in post-processing, and finds its fullest expression when it is realised as a print.

Why did you take it?

Michael Pilkington

Many photographs fail not because of technique, but because the photographer cannot answer a simple question: why did I take this? This short reflection explores how intent shapes composition, editing, and ultimately expression, and why learning to question your own motives is one of the fastest ...

Are you collecting or creating?

Mark Lawrence

As photographers, we face many choices in pursuit of our art. Some are obvious - location, lens, shutter speed - while others are more subtle and perhaps sit quietly in the background. At the very heart of it, though, lies a more fundamental question: why do we take photographs at all? Are we col...

The Highlands of Iceland

An untamed wilderness

Paul Gallagher

To make any assumption that the Highlands of Iceland are an extension of, or similar to other areas of Iceland would be an entirely understandable error of judgement. Even if we are afforded the opportunity to see images of the Highlands, there do appear to be differences, but common qualities, n...

Going back in time

The Making of a Photograph

Michael Pilkington

It is true to say that over the years your sense of aesthetic, skills and experience and the capability of post processing tools changes and improves over time giving you the opportunity to revisit old work with fresh eyes and ideas. This is quite pleasurable - not only in achieving what I would ...

Sculptured Snow, Iceland

The Making of a Photograph

Michael Pilkington

When you first visit Iceland, it is difficult not to photograph the iconic sights that have been presented to us on social media and in numerous photography magazines. However, taking your time and slowing down can present many different opportunities.

The Turning of the Seasons

Corrieshalloch Gorge, Scotland

Paul Gallagher

For so many years now, and normally at this juncture during the summer season, my mind drifts off to other places. Mornings were you can see your breath as you close the front door behind you, the car heating is turned up and the sun has barely reached the horizon. A little while later the sun is...

Birch and Blizzard

The Making of a Photograph

Paul Gallagher

For some reason, winter makes me feel safe. I like the bite of the cold and wind whipping across my face, followed by the retreat to the warmth of the indoors as the day comes to a close with the failing light.

Land Meets Sea - The Outer Hebrides

The Making of a Photograph

Michael Pilkington

On a recent visit to the Outer Hebrides I wanted to try something different. In fact this wasn't my initial intention but when viewing the peat stained sand patterns and the reflection of the deep azure sky in the wet sands beyond, I found myself relishing the creation of some rather abstract ima...

Taming Woodlands

Techniques for Photographing Trees

Paul Gallagher

When we consider photographing trees, the word ‘tree’ is in the title and often influences the way we see and make photographs of them. If we are subliminally instructing ourselves to photograph a 'tree', we will be inclined to adhere to the brief in mind and photograph the entire tree from base ...

Bringing Order to Chaos

Michael Pilkington

Much of landscape photography is built on the pursuit of simplicity, clarity and visual order. In this article, I reflect on my growing fascination with complexity and disorder in the natural world, particularly in woodland environments, and how learning to embrace chaos rather than exclude it ha...

The Time To See

Relaxing The Mind

Paul Gallagher

Each time I walked I became a little more familiar with my surroundings which I considered to be very familiar in the first place.

Finally getting to appreciate my iPhone camera

Michael Pilkington

Having had the iPhone 11 Pro for 18 months I have finally started to use the images. The capability of the camera is really quite good.

Embracing Infrared

Michael Pilkington

It is not uncommon to shy away from what can be seen as the garish effects of IR in an image. However, treated sympathetically, it can still dominate an image and be pleasing to the eye.

Tools of Interpretation

Mapping The Journey

Paul Gallagher

What the above describes is without doubt a rewarding process and the continuation of which will lead you to a finished image that is a country mile from where you began. But have you missed the point?

Jack of all Trades

Letting Yourself Explore

Paul Gallagher

Many times, I have questioned what it is that inspires me to be out with a camera. The most straightforward answer to this question is being out in the landscape. I love it and always have, and to make photographs of landscapes is my main inspiration. I really do want to share with others what I ...

Mellon Udrigle

Always Going Back

Paul Gallagher

Having traveled over most of the Scottish Highlands over the years it may come as no surprise that there are certain places that offer me, as a landscape photographer, a little more than others. The Outer Hebrides draw me to the vast, open, sandy beaches; Sutherland with its bleak wilderness back...

Remnants On The High Plains

An Exploration Through Abandoned America

Paul Gallagher

I am not often known for including man made structures in my photographs and I would could be considered guilty for determined exclusion of them most of the time. The reason for this is, to me, I find them distracting in what I am trying to say with a photograph, which is often my appreciation of...