As a favourite slice of coastal Californian wilderness, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve has captured my photographic eye on many occasions. Every season brings new colours and light to the landscape and seemingly endless sea, but every now and then, I like to investigate a familiar place with shades of black and white in mind.Continue reading “Of Land and Sea | Point Lobos, California”
Category Archives: Studies
Time Will Tell
Aerial photographs of the earth abstracted below reveal the indelible passage of time. Some textures and formations have taken millennia to emerge through forces of nature, and some have been more recently caused by human activity; all speak to a landscape that does not soon forget its experiences. I have begun to gather these visualContinue reading “Time Will Tell”
Agave Study
Sharp red thorns, pale green leaves, catching and shaping the bright New Zealand sun in the Wellington Botanic Garden. The variety of geometric shapes and contrasting textures make an agave plant particularly appealing to photograph, and in this image I sought to balance the light and shadow throughout the frame, highlighting the repeating pattern ofContinue reading “Agave Study”
Rare Iris Series
Of all the flowers I collected and grew in my coastal California garden, this dark, mysterious iris was an all-time favorite. The colors of the petals were so rich, so unusual, when I found the plant for sale at a native plant nursery, I knew I had to have it. For several seasons it bloomedContinue reading “Rare Iris Series”
Back to the basics
I was recently challenged to a ‘7 Days, 7 Black & White Photos’ exercise on social media. My path in photography started with black and white film, yet now it is usually an afterthought and simply a processing choice in the digital darkroom. Shooting with black and white in mind is always a welcome returnContinue reading “Back to the basics”
Just beneath the surface | Tofino BC
Tofino, British Columbia is a place of many wonders where the sea and forest meet; it is sometimes rugged, sometimes gentle, and the interaction of texture and light is always captivating. Walking along a broad, shallow beach one morning at low-tide, I encountered the beautiful sight of sandy shallow tide pools, where kelp gently swayedContinue reading “Just beneath the surface | Tofino BC”
meet the muse: Fort Point, San Francisco
The personally creative side of my photography goes through variations of inspiration and focus. Sometimes I have the time and energy to create extensive, comprehensive bodies of work, and sometimes my muses emerge over long periods of study, often with many returns to the same subject over many, many years. My love of Fort Point,Continue reading “meet the muse: Fort Point, San Francisco”
fresh flowers
“Flowers…are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out-values all the utilities of the world.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Floral stock photos and flowery fine art prints abound in the APK Photography archives.
Crossing, studies 1 & 2
“Good composition is like a suspension bridge – each line adds strength and takes none away.” – Robert Henri, (25 June 1865 – 12 July 1929)
one structure can take many forms
Working through my archives, I recently spent some time processing a handful of architectural shots from a trip to San Francisco last year. These two images were shot on the same day, and depict different angles on the same windows and balconies of one building. This image intrigued me, with looming rows of railings, theContinue reading “one structure can take many forms”
Adrift in a jellyfish exhibit
Had the pleasure of an after-hours visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium last week, to see the new jellyfish exhibit. The previous jellyfish exhibit that closed a few years ago was a favorite haunt for photographing interesting movement and low-light compositions, and the new exhibit offers many opportunities to observe and photograph these beautifully surrealContinue reading “Adrift in a jellyfish exhibit”
one truck, two treatments
Both of these photos were shot in the same hour, in the indian summer heat of an October afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the dusty rows of a seemingly endless walnut orchard, and this decaying old pick-up truck was interesting from every angle. The first image was an early attempt at creative lighting and a foundContinue reading “one truck, two treatments”
