SUNNY BRIGHT COLOURS

The weather for July and August has been muddled this year, so it was great to make the most of a good day of sunshine this week!

Of course it is possible to take pictures in all sorts of light, but on Wednesday afternoon I really felt like using the sunshine to get some bright colour into the shots after several days of murky conditions.

Recently I have been looking at the work of Polly Rusyn and admiring the way she shoots with high contrast and bright colours, often I notice her photographs have clear blue skies in them! I guess a necessity to get the most high contrast punch. 

I'm guessing this influenced me to leap at the chance of using the sunshine when it appeared. I didn't change my camera settings to emulate her style, but I did notice my eyes being drawn to colours and high contrast scenes.

For a short period in the afternoon I did quickly change to aspect ratio to 1:1. It has been very enjoyable shooting and practising this way in previous weeks, after seeing its full potential by looking at photographs by Vivian Maier and Jane Bown. However, this time the camera was left to carry on in colour, other than black & white.

For one reason or another, this year hasn't seen as many outings with my camera as in previous years. When I have it is noticeable that I'm trying different ideas, being influenced by seeing the work and styles of other photographers.

It's proving to be very interesting and good practise before naturally returning to the way I have grown to see and shoot. More of my photographs can be seen by visiting my website:  sleeplessink.com 

MORE PHOTOGRAPHS & INFLUENCE SHOOTING 1:1 RATIO

I have been continuing to shoot with my Fujifilm x100f set to 1:1 ratio and monochrome. It is still enjoyable and satisfyingly different from my other/usual setups.

I haven't shot in black & white for a long time and so have been looking at some of my old photography books, namely 'The Americans" by Robert Frank, 'London 1959' by Sergio Larrain and 'A Lifetime of Looking' by Jane Bown.

Now with this enjoyment of shooting 1:1, it catches my eye when I see it in print, whereas before it may not have registered so clearly.

'A Lifetime of Looking' is fantastic – as it was the first time I got it, and still is now...of course. But when it goes up onto the shelf for a while and other things grab my attention, it goes some way to being overlooked. Then at some point, which is now, it comes down and has the dust blown off the cover, and her wonderful photographs are seen again.

They are so good the book has been open on various pages, over several days and on all the desks, worktops and surfaces around the house.

It's an amazing book, with a good amount of her work in it.

It feels a bit awkward posting a few of my attempts straight after showing snippets from the pages of 'A Lifetime of Looking', but I do enjoy it, while it seems to extend another way of looking and framing.

More of my photographs can be seen @ sleeplessink.com

SURFBOARD SPRAY INSPIRED BY TOWN & COUNTRY SURFBOARDS (REEL)

It's been a while since a board with checks come through the factory. They particularly pop when coupled with the bright fluorescent paintwork that was sprayed on the foam before being glassed and sanded.

This look is synonyms with the Hawaiian surfboard company 'Town & Country' and was especially popular in the 1980's. I went to the cinema on Sunday night to watch the excellent 'Girls Can't Surf' . The majority of footage was from the 80's and 90's, so there was plenty of the styles, fashions and surfboard sprays to see from that time.

The reel shows the process of spraying the board, a condensed, and in places sped up version, it actually took quite some time.

A collection of Town & Country Surfboards with the iconic checks and bright colour spray work. More photographs of waves and surfboards can be seen at sleeplessink.com

The surfboard finished and ready to be collected.

AT WORK WITH A POSCA PEN (REEL)

Just a quick post from work this week. This custom order came through the factory which warranted the use of my overhead projector and Posca pens.

There was a time when both were in constant use, especially Posca pens. Uni-Posca is a Japanese company that seemed to burst onto the scene, largely in part to the amazing work of Drew Brophy on Lost Surfboards in the 90's.

I can remember a couple of seasons that got swamped with Posca Pen artwork requests on surfboards, and then like many fashions it faded off to be replaced by something new, now they are rarely required on surfboards. They are still an extremely versatile and popular pen, with many artists using them.

Anyway, it's good when a board comes along so the pen tin can be opened.

More photos of surfboards and waves can be seen at sleeplessink.com

CANON 6D II (FIRST OUTING)

Very happy to say I recently picked up a Canon 6D II and took it out on its first outing. Luckily I have owned a couple of Canon's over the years, so was relatively familiar with the operation and menu system.

I had been considering upgrading my Canon 40D because my lovely lenses (EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens / EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens / Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM) outstripped what is becoming a dated camera body (2007 release date, 10.1 megapixels 

I enjoy watching a YouTube channel called Framelines which is sponsored by MPB, I hadn't heard of this company so I visited the site. It is a company that buys and sells camera equipment, the procedure was simple so I traded a couple of my unused Fujifilm lenses towards my Canon 6D II. Very happy!

So I coupled a dog walk with its first outing, just to get a feel for it, casually having a go without too much thought. I have been using a Fujifilm x-Pro 3 (+27mm & 35mm lens's) and the X100F since early 2020, so this felt quite different.

My Fujifilm camera's will remain my street photography camera's as I love them, I never want to be without them. However, the Canon 6D, coupled with my already owned lenses is going to be great for days when the waves are good and I can get some surfing shots. I also want to explore more of the coast, of which there is plenty around Cornwall, and catching seascapes, especially during storms, of which there are plenty in winter!

For more of my photography visit sleeplessink.com

ARTWORK ON SURFBOARDS (SHORT REEL)

Thankfully in amongst the surfboards coming through the Ocean Magic surfboard factory, many have graphics on them. Not only does this mean work for me, it is also another chance to load the spray gun, dip the bristles of a brush into a paint pot and add colour to what would otherwise be just a plain white surfboard.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a plain board, just a shaped foam blank, fibreglassed and then sanded. It is the choice of many, there is an idea of a surfboard being just for the business of riding waves...no frills.

But for a long time, almost from the beginning of surfboard production, graphics and artwork have been put on surfboards, using several methods, but mainly with an airbrush.  It seems to make sense that such an individual pursuit would invite colour for a further scream of being different, especially in the early counter culture days of surfing and surfers.

I have sprayed surfboards since 1989 and have worked in factories all over the world. Essentially the industry still uses the same materials as it always has done. Of course there have been advancements here and there, plus diversions into new technology, but really it is still foam and fibreglass with the option of some colour.

That's when I turn up!

More photographs of waves and living by the seaside can be seen @ sleeplessink.com