Fine art landscape photography is about more than the final photograph. It’s about seeing, composing and responding to light, weather and the environment to capture what can often be a fleeting moment in time.
Cath's love of landscape photography all began with a trip to the other side of the world and a desire to capture more than just a snap shot of the beautiful landscape. She has been learning her craft and developing her personal style since 2003.
She travels nationally and internationally photographing iconic views, empty beaches and close up details of nature, each time with the aim of capturing the feel of a place within a single photograph.
Cath's photographs have a beautiful still and quiet quality and her photographic style has a way of drawing you in to the photograph, making you feel as though you were there. Often her simple compositions have a hidden complexity and depth which are revealed to the viewer over time, making them a great choice of artwork to live with for years to come.
Superb photography, Wonderful use of light - Christine Pearle
Art is not a necessity of life, it is a pleasurable indulgence. It has the power to evoke emotions, lift the spirit, satisfy the soul and enrich our appreciation of life in all its forms.
“Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures” - Don McCullin, Photographer.
A fine art photograph is so much more than a record shot which is taken with little more thought than "this looks nice" - click. Art comes from the vision of the individual which is born at the time of capture using skills in composition, framing and exposure combined with the choice of time of day and therefore style of lighting. The image has to be processed by skillfully staying true to the artist's vision. Lastly, the photograph is printed and it is at this stage that the artist's creative vision is finally realised and the photographer approves the quality and accuracy of the reproduction. Over time, a photographer's style emerges and the entire process becomes second nature to the artist.
My art is about experiencing a place and capturing my vision using the natural light before me. Sometimes I can see a composition I'd like to capture, but either the light or weather are not right and I have to return when the one or both are better. All the light and colours of my photographs are as they were at the time of capture. I use Neutral Density graduated filters to control the contrast and exposure at the time of capture but I don’t use the computer to create colours that were not there at the time of capture.
Bringing the outside in.... My photographs are more than wall decoration; they are a window on the natural world.
A bit about me...
My art is about experiencing a place and capturing my vision using the natural light before me. Sometimes I can see a composition I'd like to capture, but either the light or weather are not right and I have to return when the one or both are better. All the light and colours of my photographs are as they were at the time of capture. I use Neutral Density graduated filters to control the contrast and exposure at the time of capture but I don’t use the computer to create colours that were not there at the time of capture.
One of my favourite subjects to photograph is the coast. I love the varied scenery around coastlines, clarity of light and the feeling of tranquility I get from simply watching the waves crash on the shoreline. Water in general is a subject that features a lot in my photographs. I love the way light plays on the surface of water and the general feeling of well being it evokes.
I am lucky to have photography friends who also enjoy being out for hours – often at silly times of the day and in all weathers. One such person is fellow photographer, Mike Stephenson. I’ve lost count of the number of shoots we’ve been on together. We enjoy photographing the same things, which makes choosing locations and planning shoots very easy, and we get on really well which makes early mornings, late finishes and a post shoot pint all the more enjoyable. As we also both enjoy sharing our passion and knowledge of photography with others, we have set up Tripods at Dawn; where we offer holidays for groups of photographers to some stunning locations.
Photography is an art form and as such is very subjective and personal. I capture photographs for my own pleasure and share them on this website for other people to enjoy. Occasionally I exhibit my work in art galleries, which reminds me how great photography looks displayed on large canvasses or in gorgeous frames and sadly how a photograph on a website simply doesn't compare to the real l thing. I’m incredibly critical of my own work and so the photographs displayed on this website are my personal favourites and those I think are my best work. Some you may like and some you may not but I hope you enjoy looking.
Thanks for stopping by,
Cath