John Blakemore Research (Digital)

John Blakemore Research (Digital)

John Blakemore was born 15th July 1936 in Coventry. He is known for his still life, landscape photography and print making. Some significant event which happen in his life was the war in 1939, he also served as an RAF nurse from 1954-1956. He first got into landscape photography in 1970 when he moved to Derby to begin teaching.
From 1971 he started to only use a 5x4 camera and simplified equipment. He solely used a 180mm Symmar S lens for both landscape and still life. This was because it was high quality and large pixels. This camera involved black and white film and it was large format.
My favourite groups of photos I like the most is from all flows which are on page 62-63 from the book John Blakemore photographs 1955-2010. I also like from spirits of place which are on page 64-65 of this book. I think I like these because they relate most to some of the photos I have taken. He uses long exposures to create movement blur, in monochrome. He also has a high aperture number to create a wide depth of field meaning that everything is in focus.

This image is from "from All Flows" from John Blakemore photographs 1955-2010 book. To me it looks like a section of a stream or waterfall, It involves a slow shutter speed which creates the motion line in which the water traveled in. This monochromatic image makes me feel quite satisfying as the rocks are perfectly in focus. It also gives me a calming and peaceful mood as does the sound of the water running. This image has different tones through the rocks and the water. I like how the right hand rock catches my attention because it has a wet looking shine. I also like how the rocks are not smooth, they have a ragged and slate look.













This image is one of my favourites from "from spirit of place". The focal point of this photo is the centre stone on the rock with its rock. I like the shapes the main rock makes as it has different levels. This photo is also quite calming and neutral as the stones are lined up in the background. I also think this make me feel like this because of the forms and shapes involved in this photo. this image uses a high number aperture, for example f22 where everything is in focus. This image does have a focal point, being the small stone in the centre. Our eyes are instantly draw to this, I think it is because it is centred and only one of them. I think he work most relates to mine because they are landscape images. To create the similar style to John Blakemore I edited my photos into black and white through photoshop. He also experiments with longer shutter speeds using water, which I have experimented using. However, the difference between mine and John Blakemores work is the format they were taken in, I used a digital camera. Whereas, John Blakemore used a 5x4 camera.
My Photos

 These are my photos which I think relates to the work of John Blakemores. Although, my work was not taken in the same way a Blakemores as I took my photos digitally and not using a large format camera as he did.
I have edited my images to resemble the same style of that John Blakemore uses for his photos. We both use the same techniques by using a slow shutter speed to capture movement and a high aperture number to make a deep depth of field, this means that the whole photo is in focus. For example the movement of the water. I chose to follow and use the same techniques as Blakemore uses.
Although, I decided to use digital instead of film because it is a lot easier to capture this theme. I also feel like you get a lot more control over the photos by using a digital compared to a film camera. I feel he uses this technique to portray his photos a mysterious and moody feel. I feel he would have used a digital camera instead of a film camera if he had the chose at that time as it is a lot easier and less time consuming to get the effect he used. However, the improved technology would not have been available at this stage of Blakemore's career.

I like the style the top photo as I think it most resembles the top photo of Blakemore's. I think maybe the contrast and the dark areas could be pushed further by changing the contrast, whites and blacks to link and look more like the bottom photo of mine. I like the overall appearance of the bottom photo of mine. It is less grey looking compared to the the photo above it and I think it is more effective in comparison to the photo above. The tones and colour balance between the whites and shadows in this photo relate more to the appearance of what John Blakemore uses.

https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2011/03/master-photographer-john-blakemore/
https://www.lensculture.com/articles/john-blakemore-the-stilled-gaze
http://visualarts.britishcouncil.org/collection/artists/blakemore-john-1936
http://www.libraryofbirmingham.com/article/aboutjohnblakemore
John Blakemore photographs 1955-2010 - Book

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