Ron Garner: 2008

Friday, 26 December 2008

Grand Parade Bus Stop, Bath, England

I can't really call this a street grab. I was drawn to the shadow of the tree on the typical Bath paving stones and liked the curving composition.

Overlook at the Pulteney Weir

Another photograph that for some reason conveys a sense of foreboding. It was a 'street grab' and the halo formed by clouds around the elderly man's head is just an accident.

Father, son and a busker's dog

Another street grab. I like the way the father and son are similarly posed and the dog's seeming fascination with the young boy. This was taken on the Abbey Courtyard in Bath.

One of my favourite films is Alfred Hitchcock's, The Birds. This street photograph with the barren trees and the solitary blackbird seems to be quite foreboding in its composition. Street photography is quite 'hit and miss'. I usually hold the camera at waist level with a wide angle lens. I simply snap the shutter when I detect something of interest. The two women on the bench in Queen Square add to the sinister implications of this photograph.

Friday, 28 March 2008

Diners at The Volunteer Rifleman's Arms

This image lacks the painting quality of the two photographs that precede it although the dark tones are a bit Rembrandtish. This photograph was taken in a dark passageway. The centre of Bath has several small pubs. This one is tucked away on Union Passage -a pedestrian only street. The couple were sitting outside on a rather chilly night because the small pub was filled with patrons. As they huddle together on the bench, suggesting intimacy, his straightforward gaze suggests a certain distance.

Mr. D's

I have always loved the paintings of Edward Hopper. My favourite painting is Nighthawks which my daughter and I had the pleasure of viewing at the Tate Modern Gallery in London. This photograph reminds me of the painting. Again, colours are subdued by the cover of darkness (this photograph was taken about 1/2 hour after sunset). The building fronts and the curb and street remind me of the background of Hopper's painting. The lit interior gives the photograph the same voyeuristic quality that I found in Nighthawks. I'm uncertain how I feel about the car entering from the left.

Jolly's

I usually don't print in colour. But, when photographing at night colours are subdued and this is especially true in Bath where buildings are sepia-toned anyway. This photograph was taken of a loading door in one of Bath's Department stores. This too, has a painting like effect.

Wednesday, 26 March 2008

Hot Bath Street, Bath

Tuesday, 25 March 2008

Three Seagulls and five Pigeons

Early morning is the only time to photograph Union Passage in Bath when it is not jammed full of shoppers.

Wells Cathedral #4

Monday, 14 January 2008

The 'Hole in the Wall' Gang

An ATM in Britain is often called the 'hole in the wall.' This candid photograph was taken of a queue that had formed outside of a local branch of Barclays in Mill Hill, London. I find the man facing the camera intimidating whilst his 'partners' are oblivious to me or my camera.

Sunset at the Reddings

Another reflection photograph. This was taken on the street where we lived in London as evening approached. Again, my fascination with reflections.

Ron Garner