Whispers from an Ancient World
My MA Final Project is finished! Whispers of the Ancient World, has only just begun…
Whispers from an Ancient World, by Sullaman. © T. S. Clark (2023)
As I develop my technique, I plan to find more spectacular ancient trees, and experiment with photographing them in new ways. This is my attempt at the EcoGothic, embracing the sublime, to suggest that they have character and something greater to them than being ‘just’ a tree, and demand a sense of awe when in their company. Each is an individual, and I have a story tell about each one too. Unfortunately all I know is a mere fragment of their existence, and it is unfathomable to me to fully know what their experience of the world must be like. I will tell the story of my experience with each of them individually, over the coming weeks, and bring in new ones to the fold. The MA Photography course has been hugely instrumental in helping me find this direction, and elevate my work. I cannot thank or recommend them enough!
For now, this is where the university part of this project ends, but this only marks the beginning of where it will go. The prints are ready, and the exhibition is next to prepare for. Much more will be added to this site soon, including high quality limited edition prints, and new social media channels.
Watch this space!
Seeing trees in a new light
An ancient crack willow, in a field, in the dark. It spoke to me…
An ancient crack willow, captured in the dark using long exposures. © T. S. Clark (2023)
On my way to photograph Sherwood Forest, I planned to stop along an ancient Roman road near Coventry, to seek out this willow and photograph it in the golden evening light. I set out a little later than planned, and by the time I had arrived the sun was below the horizon, but with enough natural blue light to see where I was going. I had to walk through a couple of fields, and as it got darker on a clear night, I had to use my phone torch to see where I was going. Sheep in a neighbouring field were settling down for the night. The public pathway I was on eventually led me to the right tree, after a couple of false positives. Armed with a tripod, I was determined to get something now that I had made it this far.
The first shots on the other side of the trunk made the tree a silhouette against the fading light in the sky. When I moved around to the viewpoint you see here, I knew I could get good textures in the bark from natural, and possibly some far-off urban light. By this time it was dark, and the long exposures make it look brighter than it was. The star trails and movement in the branches give this away.
The result felt ethereal, like a part-living, magnificent being, and part ghost. Actually, a lot of the bark you see here is indeed already dead. I do not know the age of this tree, but I know it has lived for several, if not many human generations, and is still alive to this day. It felt lost, forgotten, and abandoned in this agricultural zone, not far from huge urban centres. How the landscape must have changed around it. I don’t know if it wanted to say something to me, but maybe it tried in a way I do not understand. Perhaps these images translate what it said. I wanted to learn more.
Finding forests and seeking skies
I found a misty scene unfolding in Sherwood Forest as it got dark.
Images from Cleeve Hill, Forest of Dean, Savernake Forest and Sherwood Forest. Copyright T. S. Clark 2023 ©
I continued to capture images that I thought I could use in some way for my project. At first as potential assets for compositing or double exposures, hence the sky shots. Later as either images I could use for a final selection without fully knowing why, or simply to experiment and discover a new approach. The trip to Sherwood Forest was the last of this approach for my final project, as it was on my way there that I found a new technique.
Langdon Hill and Golden Cap
A walk around a wooded hill to get to the highest point on the South Coast, for some spectacular sunset views!
While visiting relatives on the South Coast in Dorset, I took the opportunity to walk around the wooded Langdon Hill, up to the highest point along the Jurassic Coast, Golden Cap. I hoped to get more images that could be used as scenes or assets for my project, as well as having good stretch of the legs rewarded with magnificent views. It wasn’t too busy, and I spotted and heard wild creatures around me, including a kestrel hovering to find its last meal of the day. © T. S. Clark (2023)
A walk around Stourhead
A refreshing visit to the area surrounding Stourhead, where I found myself among beautiful nature.
After a difficult period of poor health, I managed to get out to walk on the hills around Stourhead, where I continued to search for usable assets, discover some history, and enjoy the wonderfully therapeutic experience of being in a beautiful green space. © T. S. Clark (2023)
A visit to the New Forest
I went to the New Forest, to see what was around as darkness fell…
After visiting a relative nearby, I stopped at one of my favourite locations for photography over the years, and probably my most photographed woodland landscape, the New Forest. I took pictures until it was too dark to continue. I was pleased that the ponies would allow me to get reasonably close, but I made sure to keep enough distance and emanate a gentle presence. © T. S. Clark (2023)
Continuing from my previous project…
In Interrogating Practice, the penultimate module for MA Photography, I produced a set of images created through combining exposures, to generate abstract forest images inspired by woodland folklore and mythology…
In Interrogating Practice, the penultimate module for MA Photography, I produced a set of images created through combining exposures, to generate abstract forest images inspired by woodland folklore and mythology, but to be deliberately ambiguous in interpretation.
A large part of this choice came from my background and interest in filmmaking and visual storytelling. As the module was oriented to experimental practice, I opted for more abstract results, but I was keen on exploring the story-inspired image further, with perhaps a clearer, more literal interpretation.
My initial idea for the final project, was to start with the double exposure approach that I’d established in the previous module, and introduce additional elements as assets and blend them in to create visual depictions of fictional scenes that take place in forest settings, inspired by mythology, fantasy and history, but with a contemporary twist.