Michael Swallow

Photography Workshop - Fletcher Moss Park

2012-02-18T11:34:00.100Z

Here are a few examples of the things we discussed and looked at on Saturday. I've included some exposure information and a few pointers on technique that I hope you find useful.
I'll be arranging some more workshops over the coming weeks so I'll keep you posted.
But if you have any questions then please drop me a line.
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1/350 f2.8 Shallow depth of field creates a soft focus effect as the depth of the tree curves away.

1/6 f22 A small aperture creates a large depth of field and the the whole image is sharp.

1/30 f16 A small aperture ensures everything is in focus. The use of a 17mm wide angle really emphasises the spread of the branches. Shooting against the sky though and the top of the picture starts to get a bit too bright... so out with the ND grad...

The same exposure, so still at 1/30 f16, but with a 2 stop neutral density graduated filter to bring the sky down slightly.

And then I converted one to black and white, and added a slight greeny / sepia tint, which I like!

1/45 f8 200mm Using a telephoto lens to compress the perspective on the trees and the path which creates a nice frame and backdrop. Thank you to the jogger in red, it couldn't have been styled any better! Remember camera is on a tripod here as you would get camera shake with a 200mm lens at 1/45s.

1/125 f4 200mm Using a long lens to throw a background out of focus, so shallow depth of field on this one. Thank you Ged - equally at home on both sides of the lens!

1/125 f4 200mm Using the gold reflector to bounce light back on the face.

1/125 f4 200mm No reflector used, so you can see the light on the face is cooler and not as pleasant.

1/30 f4 Creating sculptural compositions with leaves and branches. These shots are 3 stops over exposed from what the camera's meter indicated. This allows the leaves to be correctly exposed, the background then just bleaches out, which creates a clean and bright backdrop.

1/125 f16 17mm Again using a small aperture to give a large depth of field and get everything in focus. I went in close with a wide angle to get a feeling of being surrounded (or even hugged!) by the tree.

Same exposure as above, but I used a flash on this to lift the shadows in the foreground as I felt those branches were looking slightly too dark and heavy.

Revolution 4

2012-01-31T14:41:00.003Z

Shots from the Revolution at the National Cycling Centre (Manchester Velodrome) in Manchester 28th January.

Leaves

2012-01-27T17:24:00.001Z

A fine triptych of leaves on the wall at Anthony and Claire's in West London.
Anthony says:
"Their simplicity, when seen at a distance, challenge you to take a closer look. In detail they have an almost chaotic complexity where veins subdivide into seemingly endlessly smaller ones. Decay is also evident from rich chlorophyll greens, to the skeletal browns and reds Beautifully simple, and multi-layered simultaneously. Not unlike many things we come across in our day-to-day lives. Stunning."

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Interiors with Lucy Swallow (no relation!)

2012-01-20T12:01:00.000Z

I've just spent a lovely few days shooting interiors with the very talented Lucy Swallow, definitely no relation, of Lucy Swallow Interiors.

Battered Billboards

2012-01-16T12:16:00.000Z

A storm had battered these billboards and created some interesting imagery.

BMX

2011-12-19T13:35:00.002Z

I've been working with the GB BMX riders down at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester. I'm creating a set of images to go on the wall at the new track there, I quite like these, it's an ongoing project - perfection seems to be taking longer than anticipated to achieve!

Lost Christmas

2011-12-18T14:09:00.003Z

My Night-time Panorama of Manchester has been licenced to appear in the feature film Lost Christmas starring Eddie Izzard. The image is used as part of the opening title sequence, and also as a background image at the end of the film. Lost Christmas will be shown on BBC1 over Christmas (well tonight actually!), and will then be on general release.

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Higgs Boson

2011-12-16T16:23:00.001Z

A small piece of electronic marketing to coincide with the discovery of the elusive Higgs Boson particle. I don't know what all the fuss is about I discovered loads of then underneath a plant pot in June 2009!

Panoramas of Manchester

2011-12-15T13:37:00.002Z

I took these panoramas of Manchester from a 12th floor balcony in Salford, thanks for the access Paul! Unfortunately it was blowing a gale so I ended up with camera shake. But having just been to the marvellous Gerhard Richter exhibition at the Tate the week before, I thought yes we can go with a little bit of creative blur, it adds a certain abstract impressionism to the images.

Roaches Fell Race

2011-11-15T09:16:00.002Z

A fair bit of grit and determination required...!

Blackberryrama

2011-11-11T11:07:00.006Z

Down at Porthdinllaen at the weekend, the light was amazing. In an effort to enjoy things for what they are, and to spend some time with Sal and Max! I left the camera in the car. But note to self... may be worth reviewing this policy on days like these!

Sunday Times Landscape Competition

2011-11-01T12:44:00.007Z

My graphic take on the Imperial War Museum in Salford Quays has just been highly commended in the Sunday Times Landscape Photographer of the Year competition, it will appear in the Awards book and the exhibition at the National Theatre.

5th December 2011 - 28th January 2012.
Free admission.
National Theatre,
South Bank,
London SE1 9PX.
Tel:020 452 3000

Cycling Pictures at the Velodrome

2011-10-27T13:59:00.006Z

These pictures taken (21st - 24th Oct 2009) at the velodrome during the National Championships have just been hung as part of a permanent exhibition in the new reception area at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

Jacqui Slack - Elite Triathlete

2011-10-20T16:40:00.000Z

SUN 2011

2011-09-07T17:38:00.006Z

These images have been selected to appear in this year's Shot up North exhibition and catalogue.

A Few Toy Soldiers

2011-08-16T10:23:00.003Z

Diary of a Triathlete

2011-07-09T09:39:00.001Z

Diary of a Triathlete was commissioned by The Vast Agency in Leeds. We shot all three disciplines (more to follow!) and captured the energy, intensity and the commitment that is required to take part in a triathlon.

Thank you Derrick Batty for all your swimming, cycling and running that made this shoot possible.

The Bridgewater Hall

2011-05-23T10:59:00.001Z

I've been commissioned to create a set of images for the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. The images are to be used in a wide variety of marketing material.

They depict the Hall in a modern metropolitan context, highlighting the Hall's significance as a prestigious international concert venue.

These images are also available as limited edition fine art prints.

Seafronts

2011-05-16T11:03:00.002Z

A Car Park in Manchester

2011-05-05T10:14:00.001Z

Mmmmm...

Tools

2011-04-28T14:50:00.001Z

Being something of a DIY expert I have a fine collection of spanners, hammers and drill bits.
Looking at some of these in my shed recently it struck my that they bear more than a passing resemblance to primitive tools. Aside from the tactile and sculptural qualities there seemed to be a primal resonance drawing me in, was I in my shed or had I mysteriously travelled back in time to a neolithic cave! These tools could be bronze age spears (but smaller) or axes; and the spanner a primitive digging tool (similar to that well known 2 letter scrabble word that I've now forgotten).
I recently went to the National Museum of Scotland and saw some drill bits in an exhibition on modernization and evolution. And if you happen to read 'A Little History of the World' by E.H. Gombrich, or just page 9, you'll come across a marvellous description of cavemen - the greatest inventors of all time. Which is all very interesting.

Toy Stories

2011-03-30T12:19:00.002Z

A new body of work inspired by many hours spent building Lego houses with Max.

'The property shown here can securely accommodate 6 robbers and a tiger!'

'The rare Bengal Tiger can now often be seen prowling round our sofa!'

Billboard Posters

2011-03-22T17:07:00.001Z

Old advertising hoardings seen around Manchester.

Taj Mahal

2011-03-03T15:19:00.001Z

Finished print from frame 15

I delivered my photograph of the Taj Mahal to the White Gallery in Bollington yesterday, I ended up having a conversation about the composition with Fiona, the gallery owner.

Although the people are tiny, their arrangement and interaction is pivotal to the success of this image.

I only took two frames on the day - in the days of film. Here is a copy of the contact sheet, the quality is poor, but you can see what is happening.

Frame 15 is the negative I printed from. If you look at frame 14 the people are disparate, but in 15, just a few seconds later, they have come together. This visually anchors the composition and creates a flow of communication between subject, people in the composition, and viewer. It was one of those moments when subject, light and composition all fall into place.

Frame 14

Frame 15

Track World Cup

2011-03-02T18:18:00.022Z

18-20th February 2011
I was official photographer for the 2011 UCI Track World Cup at the Velodrome in Manchester.

My brief was to create a set of images that show all aspects of the event; ranging from fans cheering to the riders in action.

Sir Chris Hoy surrounded by journalists after winning gold.

Lizzie Armitstead

Cloud Formations and Stormy Skies

2010-10-27T15:03:00.003Z

Shades of Grey

2010-10-23T20:15:00.001Z

24 Hours Looking West

2010-10-22T13:08:00.099Z

I've like the idea of photographs as graphs or charts, or maps of time and light. And after much comparison of seascapes I decided I wanted to look at the sea over a 24 hour period and chart its movement with the passage of time and tide.

With the camera fixed on the horizon I took a picture every hour on the hour over a 24 hour period. I wanted each shot to be a document of that point in time, and without manipulation or adjustment I carried this through to the print stage. With digital imaging, the post production and image manipulation options are endless, but here each image is as good as it can be at that point in time. This idea is further explored here (Sea-Surface) and similar images can also be seen in my Sea-charts series.

There are 25 images in total, 12 are displayed here.

This project was shot on the 22nd October 2010 and exhibited at Shrewsbury School from 23rd Nov- 10th Dec 2010.

Midnight

2 a.m

4 a.m.

6 a.m.

8 a.m.

10 a.m.

Noon

2 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

8 p.m.

10 p.m.

Studio Bin

2010-05-21T14:07:00.008Z

I took these pictures after sharpening a pencil. Whilst watching the fall of the pencil shavings it occurred to me that some of my best photographs are to do with capturing the effects of gravity. This can be seen in a bike going round the velodrome, tidal marks left on a beach, or the arrangement of debris in my studio bin.

Studio Bin I

Studio Bin II

Seascapes at Night

2010-03-08T18:15:00.025Z

III

Diptych

Lighthouse and Beacons

Snow

2010-02-21T18:21:00.006Z

Ski Tourer Minding His Own Business

Sledger in Snowball Ambush

Structures, Spires and Lines of Communication

2010-01-16T16:41:00.002Z

Sea-Surface

2010-01-03T16:20:00.008Z

This image came from a desire to create something as simple, beautiful and perfectly balanced as I possibly could. I opted for the square format as this has a balance and symmetry, and I placed the horizon in the middle to emphasize this, but also to give sea and sky equal importance in the frame; thereby reducing the composition to two planes, or surfaces, hence the title Sea-Surface. (And this in turn seemed to be a natural extension from some of my other seascapes that dwell on things below the surface, such as my Flow series, and also, the dealing with surfaces is something of a photographic preoccupation).

But moving on...

Whilst editing the shots and trying to pick a favourite I had two images up on screen, and it was impossible to decide which one was better than the other. The images are almost identical; the only perceptible difference is in the movement of the sea, and the only other difference is time. So each image is as good as it can be at that moment in time (more on that one here (24hrs Looking West)). Visually though the images looked great sitting next to each other; the similarity and juxtaposition of each image was adding an extra dimension.

The slight shifting of the sea within the rigid and geometric composition creates a great sense of movement as you scan and compare each image with its partner.

And... if you look carefully you can see that these images show the flight of a seagull. As they were taken 2 seconds apart, I reckon, with a bit of trigonometry and a fancy protractor you could work out the air speed velocity of a welsh seagull - but that's just a bonus!

This image was exhibited at Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw as part of my Sea Pictures exhibition. Click here to see what acclaimed Welsh painter Gareth Parry had to say.

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Cracknell and Romero, Land's End to John o'Groats

2009-08-04T14:21:00.014Z

James Cracknell and Rebecca Romero riding up Shap Summit on their tandem Land's End to John o'Groats record attempt.

More Entropy (or Where My Plant Pot Was)

2009-06-11T10:00:00.003Z

This image shows the marks left behind after moving a plant pot.

The weight of the pot has created the circle and gravity has drawn and dispersed the particles through the hole in its base. These simple marks describe the forces of gravity. It's not difficult to see this image as sub-atomic particles orbiting a nucleus, or at the other end of the scale, a planetary system caught in space.

Sea-Surface (mono)

2009-02-22T17:42:00.019Z

Sea-Surface (mono)

read more see more more sea!

Factory Floor

2008-12-18T20:24:00.009Z

Lily

2007-08-22T13:43:00.002Z

III

Coke Cans

2007-03-28T09:14:00.003Z

18th August 2011
I met up with some friends last night, and our conversation reminded me of these coke cans - thank you Sarah Holden!

These cans were found on the street, they are a bit of street life. I tried bashing new ones into shape, but it didn't work.

I like the documentary nature; the forensic quality, the realism, and the history of the found article.

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