01
B+WA
s we start the new year I have been
thinking about the photography
exhibtions I’ve seen over the past
12 months. This was prompted by a
young photographer who asked me what had been
the most influential, or best, exhibition I’d seen
recently. I hesitated before I answered. In fact, I
hesitated for about three weeks because I wasn’t
sure that there had been an outstanding one that
had lingered with me – one of those that stays
in your mind for years, and nudges you to start a
new project or to subtly change your approach.
While I was thinking about this, I happened
upon an exhibition of photographs by the artist
(mainly known for his paintings) Cy Twombly.
His photographic images were a set of still
lifes (in colour, I’m afraid – forgive me...) that
had such exquisite innocence about them that
I was captivated. Unfocused, soft, simple andbeautifully conceived. They are now so firmly
embedded in my memory that I can take any
one of them out and look at it at will. Nothing
will change this, they will stay forever and I feel
privileged to have seen them.
I don’t think they are going to influence my
photography in any fundamental way (no colour
you’ll be glad to hear!) but they will remind me
of who I am, and in turn that will have its place in
my photography.
I think it’s so important to look at other
people’s work, to really understand what you like- not in a terribly analytical way but more in an
instinctive way. I think you absorb it, it becomes
part of you and consequently you become part
of your pictures. It’s funny how the brain works,
particularly when it comes to creativity. There
don’t seem to be any obvious rules, but things
like this fall together and it seems to work.
Elizabeth Roberts, Editor
[email protected]EDITOR’S LETTER
© Anthony Roberts1 SIONE
This is a portrait shot by Daniel Dytyrch
of his friend’s sister’s daughter, Sione. Using
his Nikon D300 and Zeiss f/1.4 50mm lens,
Daniel took the photograph earlier this year
one early morning in the shade on a sunny
day. To see more of Daniel’s B&W work
check out his Twitter feed or his website.
@DanielDytrych
danieldytrychphotography.co.uk2 DARK PILLARS
We can’t stop looking at Claire McConnell’s
intriguing photograph of a woodland scene.
Taken on an early November morning in
Wendover Woods, the subtle mystical look,
complex composition and wide range of
tones was achieved with a Canon 5D MkIII
and f/2.8 100mm lens at ISO 100 and a
shutter speed of 1/40 second.
greeneyedlens.com3 PULPIT STAIRS
Cathedral steps have always been a popular
photographic subject, with the most well-
known being Frederick H. Evans’ 1903
A Sea of Steps, Stairs to Chapter House,
Wells Cathedral. Photographer and London
cabbie driver Terry Gibbins took this
picture on his iPhone 6 of the Pulpit Stairs
at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims.
@teegee© Claire McConnell© Daniel Dytrych © Terry Gibbinsfacebook.com/blackandwhitephotog follow us on Twitter @BWPMag PINBOARD
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