A Quick Update

I’m here on the website after a long time and I have a quick few updates:

1. I’ve been on two major trips since last update - The Kanuku Bush Cow Trails Hike, and The Kaieteur Overland Experience.

2. I’ve been doing more street photography and writing down topics for blogs which I haven’t started yet. These are things I need to update on this blog before I completely forget what I wanted to write about.

I’ve also bought some more photography books and they’ve helped me immensely in improving in my own photography. All these are subjects i need to write about but need to take it one step at a time until I catch up.

Hopefully my procrastination doesn’t win this battle.

Emotion and Photography

Today I read an article and it reminded me that I was supposed to write about this topic for a while now.

Emotion - photography - art in general. What are the greatest songs? which are the songs we love most no matter what time or age we live in? They’re the songs that touch our hearts, reverberate in our souls. Those songs can only have that impact if the artist felt it when they created it, that’s because our emotions and relationships are reflected in what we create. And like any art or craft, the way we experience the world is reflected in our photography. This makes me reflect on my own work and I always consider that my photos have recurring themes and elements. I find that I perform best when in solitude and alone with nature and landscapes; I enjoy the immense, the pristine, the undiscovered, the natural elements, the ancient. For that reason, I consider my best work to be nature and landscape photography. That’s not to say I don’t love the street, or culture, but I’ve just known that to be my first love in photography, and that’s what I’ve been working on passionately for a few years now.

I enjoy making memories of the landscapes I experience, and I enjoy bringing the unexplored and undocumented parts of our precious landscape for the rest of the world to appreciate. I feel it’s necessary because there is greater appreciation and understanding of something that you know exists. We need to know what we have, or I fear we may lose it due to sheer ignorance.

Now, this takes me to street photography and documenting our social condition and everyday lifestyle. The truth is that most of my photographs of the street right now are quite random - I photograph what I feel will be interesting, and hope that those photographs can have some meaning, and reason for existing.

I’ve only really started taking to the streets this year for photos, and I consider most of it practice, but in this period of practicing I hope that some of that work is meaningful and represents what I wanted to capture as accurately as possible - not only in the sense of documenting what transpired, but also the mood of the moment, even if only to a fractional extent.

Daring in Street Photography

By daring, I mean daring to get the shot you want, regardless of any apprehensions you might have. Dare to be closer, dare to ask, dare to go the extra distance to position yourself in the right location. This doesn’t mean you have to put yourself in harms way, but push further, go deeper. This is advice I need to take myself and that’s why I’m writing this - I need to reinforce this so that I’m conscious of it whenever I go out to shoot.

I visualise myself in situations where there’s an image I want to capture, but I need to put myself in a temporarily uncomfortable situation to get it. As the saying goes - no risk, no reward. The truth is that I constantly worry about doing the right thing before taking a photo. Is what I’m doing ethical; is it a decent thing to do. Which takes me to another topic I need to write about - documenting history in Guyana.

I see street photography as an artistic way of documenting the time I live in, in Guyana mostly. It’s easy to consider street photography irrelevant now because everyone lives in this era, the photos seem normal, but you just have to look at old photos of Guyana to realise how important photography is. Had those photos not been taken, we would hardly have any visual idea of what life was like decades ago. We need to appreciate the present, and record it for posterity.

There are many reasons to be shooting the street - it doesn’t necessarily have to record history, or be documentary style. Street photography can teach us how to appreciate simple moments in everyday life that we would hardly notice or remember if it wasn’t for the photos taken. It can evoke emotions, be artistic, and even change the mindset of a nation. The right photo can go beyond recording history, to make history - that might be pushing it, but it’s possible.

We all have our own style of shooting, but why I felt the need to write about this is because I don’t want to settle for something when I know it can be better. I don’t want to produce work and settle for that I think is just ok. I owe myself more than that, and I owe my audience my best efforts. For now I’m practicing and improving, but I never want to be stagnant. I want to constantly push the boundaries of what I can do, and always perform with my full energy and the best of my abilities.

Art and Meaning in Photography

I’ve been looking at some of the photography of Emmanuel Lubezki (Chivo) - renowned Mexican cinematographer, and decided to jot down a topic for this blog. Art and meaning in photography is something I’ve considered writing on for a while, and it’s about time I do it.

Straight to the point - art doesn’t have to mean anything. Art is just art and our interpretation doesn’t have to be that of the artist of anyone else. We can be totally subjective in our interpretation of art - it exists. It may not have been created for anything but the pure pleasure of creating something of beauty, completely devoid of any meaning - not meant to be deciphered or ‘figured out’, but to be enjoyed, to provoke thought, to clam, to excite, to evoke something within a human being.

Let’s just take for example a photo of a sunset, captured by an artist may show us all a different perspective on how something many of us take for granted, can be seen anew. The artist creates something extraordinary out of what may otherwise seem ordinary. The result doesn’t have to an important event, but an even that is made important through its appreciation.

Sometimes I struggle with meaning in photography - I question why. What is the purpose of this work. There is surely pleasure to be derived through the act, but is the result something that can help others? What other purpose can it serve? I consider that being selfish with art diminishes its value. The wondrous landscapes of Guyana, for example, are something to be appreciated, and protected. They are our heritage, the legacy of the first inhabitants of this land - the indigenous people who have been able to live in harmony with it for hundreds of years. In capturing the landscapes I want these elements to be conveyed. I want us to understand the importance of what has been preserved.

But what of other photos - a leaf floating in water, a rock in the sand, dead trees, a boy walking to school, peeling paint… what relevance does that type of art have in our lives? Well I believe it can be considered to be some of the most important art in our lives - it’s the ordinary portrayed in an extraordinary way. How we choose to view such art is a reflection of how we see the world - do we take the time to appreciate the present moment? Do we stop to enjoy that life continues beyond our perspective? Do we take time to enjoy the randomness of flaking paint that creates patterns no human can emulate… or a leaf floating in water - beautifully contrasting the colour of death and decay with the black, liquid reflection beneath, holding it gently for the wind to carry it where it may.

There is perfection in imperfection, and I reckon that the greatest photos are not those that reflect the technological power of a camera, but those that reflect the human element of the photo, i.e. the way the photographer views the world.

Some More Thoughts On Street Photography

I may have mentioned this before, but I remember when I first got a digital camera many years back, the type of photography I had initially indulged in was what I would consider Street Photography. I’d walk about and take shots of things that interested me in the streets. I especially remember always going out on Mashramani and Easter to take shots of what was going on, and I consider that maybe that was the most earnest form of street photography I’ve ever practiced. The concept of street photography never existed in my mind - I had no idea what it was. I had never even studied or tried to learn photography in any way before that, and yet there I was shooting in the streets. My compositions were off, I didn’t care much about the lighting, ‘the moment’, or whatever. I just wanted the scene as I saw it. I had no social media accounts then to post for others to see, I had no online portfolio. All I had was my hard-drive to store the memories. I didn’t even edit the photos.

So why is all this even relevant? It helps me to understand that street photography isn’t unnatural to me. It’s something I actually did without reservation in the past, and although things have changed with the advancement of technology, especially social media, the fundamentals have remained the same. I believe street photography is something you should enjoy doing and also find meaning in practicing. There are the ethics of photographing people which need to be considered, but even those may have to be broken at times considering extreme circumstances - war, protests, human rights violations, etc.

Recently I’ve been finding it more and more pleasurable to capture shots in the street. The great thing about it is that I love photography in general, primarily landscape and nature photography, but adding street to the list expands my opportunities to go out and do something I really enjoy, and in the streets the possibilities are endless. While my landscape, wildlife and nature shots require extensive travelling, finances, and planning, the streets exist right outside my window. Almost anywhere you travel you can capture great moments that can influence change, preserve history, evoke emotions, jog memories.

I’ll leave it off here, as I plan to write on Street Photography that evokes emotion.

Shooting Street: Phone (iPhone7 Plus) Vs. Camera (Ricoh GRII)

Initially I had started shooting street with my phone for one simple reason: it was smaller and more discreet than my mirrorless camera with any lens. I’m not the type of person who wants to be sticking my camera in people’s faces unless of course it’s a shot that’s worth it, and I won’t be disturbing them, and the larger the camera, the harder it is to avoid doing that. Using a phone, though, has its own drawbacks:

1. It’s a phone, and in Georgetown you don’t want to be advertising your phone like some tourist. You could end up being robbed, and worse, injured and robbed.

2. No matter what, a phone will never produce the quality of a good camera.

3. There’s something about using a dedicated camera to practice photography that makes the whole experience more enjoyable.

So what did I do? I did some research to find the best camera to shoot street - something small, discreet, fast, and good quality. I wanted something that could basically fit inside my jeans pocket. My research pointed me towards the Ricoh GRII, and so I invested in that camera. Since I’ve gotten the camera I find it much easier to walk around with it in my hand without people even noticing I have a camera. Shots are high quality and the camera is fast. So, without getting into detail about the camera itself, the point I’m trying to make is that I think once you find the right camera, using your phone will end up being a last resort. I dislike the quality of photos that phone photography produces, at least for me (I have the iPhone 7). When you compare the images, there’s no contest, and the way I see it, you want to invest in something that produces good images so that if, in the future, you want to print your images, you can get the best quality.

Of course if your phone is all you have, then by all means use that, but if you can afford a dedicated camera for practicing photography, you won’t regret it. The images are better, and the experience is more immersive. I already spend enough time on my phone; I don’t want it for my photography. Photography is something I enjoy, and want to enjoy wholly without distractions like messages or calls or notifications. I want to press a shutter button, I want to have the feel of a real camera in my hand.

I think phones also have the stigma of having to do with social media and posting online, so I can see why someone would be sceptical of a phone photographer. Phones are also very personal devices, and someone being photographed would naturally question your motive. The Ricoh GRII is different - it doesn’t have a viewfinder, but a screen which allows you to shoot in a ways that people won’t even realise you’re shooting them or a scene with them in it. It’s almost like a hobbyist camera, some would even say tourist camera.

At the end of it all, it’s a camera I enjoy using. I consider that to be the most important thing - it makes me feel at ease shooting in the streets - something I’ve wanted to start a long time ago. Who knew that one little camera would help me so much.

Daily Photography, Patience, and the Streets

Saturday, 30th March, 2019, I took another street walk in the afternoon. This is the third Saturday in a row I’ve dedicated time to practicing my street photography. There’s only so much you can learn from theory - the rest is definitely practice, and I’m glad I finally fell into a bit of a routine to keep evolving this skill. It certainly becomes easier with time, and more ideas keep popping up for series, compositions, subjects. This Saturday I realised that I have to take a bit more time to compose shots while at the same time being quick about it. Things change fast in the streets and sometimes you just have to let chances go, learn from what you missed, and make the best of the opportunities presented.

I still prefer less interaction in the streets. Capturing the scene without interfering with the subject is important to me. Maybe that’ll change later on - maybe I’ll find that interacting with subjects makes for a more immersed experience, but I’m not ready for that yet.

Today I was looking through some of the shots I took yesterday and remembered that I should try waiting before actually analysing the shots for a more objective approach. This tactic has benefitted me in the past, and it’s something I need to keep reminding myself to do before I decide to publish my work on my online portfolios. We need to be our harshest critics if we’re to improve our skill. Practice, patience, objective critique.

This last shoot has encouraged me to shoot even more. I already plan to be walking with my camera whenever I decide to exit the house for a walk anywhere. I feel like I’ve finally broken the apprehension of venturing into the streets - something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now. Hopefully, I can make this a daily practice.

On Inspiration and Photography

First, let me just state that I usually find inspiration from other photographers and artists, but more recently I’ve found inspiration in my own work. Inspiration is what drives us many times to do what we enjoy. Usually, it’s hard for me to lose inspiration - I count myself lucky to be able to do what I enjoy doing. I consider myself fortunate to be able to afford a camera, to have the dexterity to operate it, to be able to see and experience my surroundings in my own unique way producing work I and others can appreciate. That is a blessing in itself - if I get more than I bargain for - that’s a bonus.

So, back to inspiration. It’s interesting how other artists whose work we admire influence our own, regardless of how subtle it might be. I always consider that my work is a culmination of all the art (styles) I admire mixed together with my own artistic expression, creating a unique blend that pays homage to those who have given us a glimpse of their world. Tonight, I was reminded of one of my first inspirations in photography: Sebastiao Salgado. I remember watching an entire Youtube documentary on his work, and then ordering his books on Amazon to get a fuller appreciation of his work. The images he produced were exemplar of what I wished I could do. His story and sacrifices were astonishing. His images reflected a man dedicated to his craft - dedicated with a passion, a passion that evolved into a movement that has influenced thousands of people, and brought great benefit to the environment. One man’s love for his craft has done all that.

Inspiration.

I’ve tried to emulate the sacrifice and hard work to a degree that is not yet satisfactory to me, but I’m trying. Finding inspiration in my own work is easy, especially considering the difficulties i’ve managed to overcome in reaching locations around Guyana to document our remote landscapes and wildlife, and the evolution of my own work throughout the few years I’ve been learning to be a photographer. There are a few goals I wish to achieve through photography of Guyana, but that will be a topic for another day.

I always look out for artists I’ve never heard of before, whether they be photographers, painters, sculptors, and even musicians (old and new). There’s much to learn from each, and as our minds are expanded to appreciate more the more options our minds have while creating.

Landscapes in Black and White

Some may wonder that with the advent of colour photography, why would someone still choose to record landscapes in black and white. I’ve had my own opinions on this subject and don’t believe I have a particular preference between the two. Currently, my website has mostly black and white images - I just think that I’m not ready to confirm a constant look with colour. On the other hand, I have a particular soft spot for black and white photographs, possibly because one of my personal favourite landscape shots have come from legendary photographers of old - Sebastiao Salgado and Ansel Adams. Black and white landscapes can accentuate the shapes and textures that may be lost in a myriad of colours distracting. Maybe this can be likened to when one loses their sight, but the other senses are heightened.

Guyana, in particular, is a wondrous, dreamy land. As you travel further out, it’s like you’ve escaped modernity to witness a land that has been lost in time - untouched, ancient, stoic: a place that can only exist if you really want it to. I believe black and white landscapes of Guyana bring a new appreciation for the land and portrays a beauty rarely witnessed.

The Process

Like anything, photography takes time to learn. I believe it’s one of those activities that takes a bit longer to learn, but also takes longer to forget - like riding a bike.

Yesterday, after I ventured into the streets after a long time and challenged myself to go places that are a bit more difficult for me explore; I realised that there is much to learn, but we need to make that first step if we’re serious about achieving the goals we set for ourselves. It helps to remember that becoming good at something takes time. It takes time, and practice to get the results you want. Embracing mistakes, learning from them, and improving our skill will help to make the journey not only memorable, but exciting and pleasurable. Our errors are our greatest teachers.

In photography, your goals can continuously change as you grow. I’ve noticed that from my own photos, I tend to enjoy a few selected ones in particular because of the angle and close proximity of the subject. I enjoy intimacy, honesty, and simplicity. And while walking the streets, ideas for a series come to mind all the time - Guyanese on Bicycles, Street Vendors, Public Servants, Hairstyles, Side Portraits, Labourers, Young and Old, Birds in Cages… the list goes on.

There’s so much to see and capture in the streets, it can be overwhelming. Maybe next time I take a walk, I’ll have one or two themes that I decide to go with so that my walk is more structured, or maybe I’ll just take a random walk for the fun of it and just capture moments as they happen. Who knows - the possibilities are endless. I just want to enjoy the process and photograph the things I want to remember and share.

Saturday Walk Through Georgetown

I always have to muster a bit of courage to take a Photo Walk through Georgetown. Georgetown is notorious for petty crime and robberies, and there have been situations where photographers were robbed of their gear on the streets. So, let me tell you what I did to help overcome a bit of the anxiety that comes with shooting in Georgetown while walking alone.

Firstly, for a while now I realised that my primary camera, the Fujifilm XT1, was a bit too big and conspicuous for me to comfortably walk around and take the shots I wanted. It’s also a fairly expensive camera and I really don’t want to lose it, so I invested in a small and amazing camera - the Ricoh GRII. The logic is this: the XT1 with lens costs at least double the GRII. If I had to lose one, I’d prefer it be the GRII - there, a bit of my anxiety gone.

I walked out with nothing but my camera and keys at a normal pace, down the streets with no real planned route in mind, but I knew for sure I wanted to walk past the Stabroek Market area to capture a few interesting moments. It’s something I wanted to do for a long time, and I managed to overcome the demons in my mind that were preventing me from doing so, and did it.

It was a big awkward at first, but I pushed through allowed myself to be absorbed into the environment, not taking shots of every little thing, but choosing the moments wisely. Most people never even noticed I had a camera in my hand, and most of the shots I took while on the move. After about twenty minutes of walking the streets became more comfortable and it was almost as if I was there all the time.

From Stabroek, I took to Regent St. and walked up to Bourda Market, then took to Robb Street, and got a few more interesting shots there. The market was busy and no one had time to notice a lone photographer. It’s an amazing feeling when you blend into the environment and are able to capture the moments you never thought you would, and before I knew it - I had already been on the streets for about 2-3 hours.

What a great afternoon of Street Photography in the capital city of my beloved Guyana.

On the Art of Street Photography

I believe there is a documentary and artistic style to street photography. The two characteristics are often combined, but each photographer leans towards one more than the other in their work. I’ve often seen photographers create nothing but art through street photography, and others who lean towards a more documentary style in their work. This, of course, can be subjective, as the viewer would determine the artistic nature of a piece, but what I mean to say is that some would prefer to go fully abstract, or focus on colour, or lighting, more than what is actually being photographed. The documentary style street photographer will focus more on what is happening - the subject, event, place being recorded.

I’ve found that my leanings are towards a more documentary style with a bit of an artistic touch that reflects what I felt at the moment. With a good composition and interesting subject, art is already mostly there. Street photography is important not because it can be beautiful, or artistic, but because it preserves our history, it allows us to see everyday events from different perspectives, it gives us something extraordinary from what would otherwise be considered ordinary.

Being Original

Being original is easy - you just have to be yourself. Don’t judge yourself or your work by comparing with others, because we are wholly different people and produce different works of art. Be inspired, don’t compare.

By nature, many of us are competitive, but where there is competition in art, there is a loss of artistic ingenuity. Instead of putting all our effort and energy into producing what we love, a product of comparison and competition is created, many times a glaring imitation - that’s not what anyone wants. It’s easy to admire other works of art and ask yourself ‘why can’t I produce something as beautiful, or perfect, or amazing?.’ But you can - you just have to put in the work. There are a few naturally talented artists, people who seem to just create startling works of art without much effort, but for the rest of us it’s something learned through extensive effort, trial and error, and sometimes a lifetime of failures. The important thing is to keep on producing with passion. Pouring your heart and soul into something can result in the best you have to offer as a human being, and most importantly, produce something you would enjoy, something you can appreciate, something you can be fulfilled by. Be your harshest critic and greatest supporter, be the one who decides whether you’ve worked hard enough, or your work is good enough; be the one who says you can do better, be the one who decides what’s enough.

It’s your choice. Be yourself, be better.

Street Photography 2019

The thing about photography is that you’re fitting a moment into a frame; you can’t include every part of a scene, but you can make the most of the space in that frame to create something that has maximum impact.

I consider myself a tyro in street photography at the moment - maybe this should be my perpetual belief as that will compel me to always seek more knowledge, and push the boundaries of my own creations and beliefs. I consider it to be one of the most important genres of photography there is. Street Photography not only captures great moments (usually human), but can make great the simplest of moments. Good work can even ignite our other senses: hearing, touch, smell, taste. Perhaps, more importantly, the image can ignite our emotions.

Each photographer, naturally, has their own predispositions and motives when street shooting. I don’t believe the craft is limited to any specific set of rules, but the reason(s) for shooting will influence the resulting image, and the way it’s interpreted by the viewer. To be true to myself, I prefer to capture moments the way I’d like to relive them - not only a week, or a month, or a year from now, but also consider how I’d like to relive them as someone from another generation, or someone else in general. So, the viewer is a very important part of my photography - I want them to get the most out of the time they spend looking at an image I created.

In many ways street photography requires more of viewers, but also gives more to the viewer once it’s appreciated. Initially, I was fascinated by the idea of capturing life as it unfolded around me here in Guyana. Several lectures, articles, and countless hours spent viewing and reviewing work from masters of the art, and I still have to get out and really put the work in. One of the reasons I’ve been so hesitant to get fully into the street photography is that I didn’t want to be doing it for the wrong reasons.

Before I finish here, one more thing I must mention is that I believe street photography, although it would be safer to go out shooting in groups (especially in Georgetown), is best done as a solitary practice. That way the photographer is more focused and interacts as an individual.

I’ll update the blog with more information as I get out shooting and my experience grows.

2019 Beginnings

The beginning of 2019 was already scheduled for me. The first expedition to Paruima in the Upper-Mazaruni was already scheduled - a nine day trip that would be my first venture into the region.

I had learned a long time ago that for there to be great rewards, there needed to be great risks involved. If we don’t challenge ourselves to venture into the unknown, into what we fear, we will never truly know our true potential. This was one such venture, and it didn’t fail to test my mental and physical resilience. Photos allow me now to reflect and also realise that it wasn’t all a dream - Paruima has one of those dreamlike landscapes. The whole experience is something that can’t be imagined, and fortunately all my experience in photography and exploring allowed me to capture some images that I’m very satisfied with. There were immense challenges, but I made do with what I had to create memories exactly as I wanted. There were many opportunities to capture more landscape, wildlife, and culture, but being a first time venture, I’d say I wasn’t fully prepared. More could have been done - hopefully another trip to the region will yield even greater results.

Upon returning to Georgetown, I got down to editing and found that my taste in edits had changed a bit to a less saturated, higher contrast look that I believe brings out a bit of my personality while at the same time creating an evocative look.

I believe that how we begin the year is a good guideline as to how it will continue - if that’s the case, this will be an awesome year for exploration, adventure, and photography.

2018

Here we are almost at the end of 2018. An entire year of photography and I can say that I’m quite satisfied with the work I’ve been able to produce and how much I’ve learned. The knowledge and experience I’ve gained is more than I hoped for and will surely continue to grow. I’ve successfully travelled to quite a few locations in Guyana and was able to capture the landscape and some wildlife shots that I’m quite happy with. More than that, I’m happy with what was learned. It’s a rewarding feeling to look at your own work and see the improvements made - to look back at old work and see what you could’ve done to create a better photo. The idea is to keep experimenting and improving, and pushing the limits of your own potential and curiosity.

Random Thoughts & Photography

Life happens, and we need to make the best of it, or, at the very least, make it work. There are periods where it becomes a daunting task to even go through a single day, and days of abundant joy. There can’t be one without the other. There will be periods where everything is going perfect, and another when everything will seem to be going wrong.

We need to push on. We need to continue existing as the best version of ourselves - do something that makes existing better, not only for you, but for others.

I guess this is why I’ve found photography such an addictive activity - I get to create and express the best I have to offer, while at the same time documenting and giving others a chance to see and appreciate what might otherwise never be. I’ve found within my own country, Guyana, the experience I believe I’ve always yearned for - adventure and art in nature. There’s something about a relatively untouched landscape that speaks to your soul, and, for each of us, there’s a different lesson to be learned. There’s something about our brothers and sisters in feathers and fur, scales and shells, that teach us that life is not only limited to the human experience, and the societies we live in. We’re all trying to make it, to survive, and to keep on existing no matter the challenges. There is no art that can surpass the art that nature has created - it’s perfection, and I try to capture that in whatever small way I can, and to the best of my abilities.

There are challenges to the type of photography I pursue - it’s expensive, time consuming, requires a lot of planning, and sometimes quite dangerous. But I get inspiration from others who have done exponentially more than what I will probably ever achieve. If they can do so much, I can do more. Maybe one day I’ll pursue it full time, but for now I’ll take it step by step.

In a society filled with amenities and technological crutches, we lose touch with our physical selves more and more. Instead of looking at the stars, I stare constantly at an illuminated screen. Instead of climbing mountains, I’m climbing the financial ladder. Instead of seeing everything as within, I constantly see everything as without. So, I take my explorations and photography as a form of meditation - a practice I can fall into without it becoming a task, something I can let happen naturally, like breathing.

These are just a few jumbled thoughts I wanted to put in the open. Random, and spontaneous.

Colour

I’ve struggled for a while with colour in my images. Somehow it never seems to come out right, so initially I was drawn towards black and white. And though black and white has its place in photography, I believe that being versatile is very important in the world of photography and art.

Tonight, I finally uploaded colour images of landscapes and birds - images that I’m satisfied with for now. It has been a challenge for me to get my images looking the way I want them to in colour, and this is a step that I need to take to review and display my images for others to provide valuable feedback.

It’s amazing how long it takes to develop a sense of what you want, and that keeps changing as we change. Our mood often determines what is produced as a finished image. What we create is ultimately a result of all our experiences and knowledge acquired put into physical form.

The next step is for me to print my images as often as I can to determine what I need to tweak so as to achieve a result that can be something I can be quite satisfied with.

Visions 2018 - A Curated Exhibition Pt.1

When Visions 2018 was first announced and the organiser, Michael C. Lam, opened the floor for submissions, I wasn’t sure what images I’d submit. This would be the first time I’d be submitting my work to be exhibited as printed pieces at a gallery, and I wanted to choose images that would have a positive impact on viewers. In the end, I submitted five images of the white-chinned swifts in flight at Kaieteur National Park - the title was ‘Dance of the White-chinned Swifts’.

Not long after submitting my images, I got an email informing me that some of my images were chosen pieces to be displayed at the exhibition opening at Oxygen Arts Gallery on 1st December, 2018. The curator had only chosen 30 photos from a total of 15 photographers, and I wondered from the beginning: why only 30? I was now even more curious to see what were these choice pieces of art that were selected.

On opening day, I took a drive up to Industry to the gallery and found the place, thanks to Google Maps - a small place where people had already gathered, and were mingling outside. My first impression upon entering the space was that it was not the atmosphere where you can truly appreciate printed pieces. You see, I’ve spoiled myself visiting the Whitney Museum of Art (Manhattan), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Manhattan), The National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), and a few other smaller galleries for photography and art. Oxygen Arts was simply too small to host this event in a way that could be fully appreciated by viewers, but I was thankful nevertheless. It had it’s benefits of feeling like a grassroots movement to further art in Guyana. It gave me hope: that even though there are many challenges, people are still willing to sacrifice their time, energy, and property to provide a space for art, and that trumps any gallery I’ve ever visited. The facts are:

1. Oxygen Arts agreed to host this even for free, a gesture of greatness in itself.

2. This exhibition is better than none at all, and a step in the right direction for the art.

3. It was well organised and had an awesome turnout.

4. It gave me perspective on how much Guyana needs to invest in the Arts and Culture.

5. Reinforced in my mind how much talent and potential we still have residing in Guyana, even with the economic, political, and social challenges we face.

I try to see the positive in what can initially appear negative. There was also much to learn about photography at the event. I always enjoy viewing the work of my peers because it brings the art a bit closer to home, and what we are capable of capturing right here in Guyana. The pieces that I particularly enjoyed were:

1. Mashramani by Fidal Bassier. There is something that speaks to your heart when you see this photo. It shouts: Guyana, Generations, Tradition, Culture, Art, Life.

2. Regent St. Labourer by Nikhil Ramkarran. Much to be analysed in this photo, but there is something that connects me to the hard-working people of the street. They are an important aspect of the culture and ethic of this nation.

I’ve sent in requests to purchase both of these prints.

Visions 2018, for me, is more than just an exhibition where my work has been featured for the first time; more importantly, I feel compelled to do more to further the art. Maybe play a more active role in organising and promoting events like these.

Photography may be relatively new in Guyanese society, but there are enough great works by Guyanese photographers to warrant a permanent space where people can escape to experience moments, experience the art.

Vidyaratha Kisson had his take on the event. Read about it here.

Kopinang

On a recent trip to Kopinang from the 29th September to 3rd October, 2018, I found some of the most outstanding scenery, I’m quite sure, in the whole of Guyana. There’s no questioning the beauty of Kopinang, and the Potaro Region in general.

Naturally, I applied some new techniques, since I’ve been considering changing and evolving the way I take photographs, so most of the time I shot in colour. The trip wasn’t a dedicated photographic mission, but a cross between pure pleasure, documentation, learning, and overcoming challenges.

On the journey, we experienced the nature of the rainforest within the Northern Pakaraimas, which is relatively untouched except for a few trails and camps in the forest. The views are stunning, the water is crystal clear, and the waterfalls are like none I’ve ever seen. Wildlife is abundant, although we didn’t encounter much large animals or birds on this trip, so what I photographed included mostly landscape shots.

We didn’t spend much time in the village and I was asked by our host not to photograph people, which I completely understand and respect. So, what about the photos? I moved away from black and white to colour. Not only did I want to try something new, but I realised that colour adds another dimension to photography and can even make it more challenging, but at the same time more rewarding. It’s easy to subtract colour to get the desired effect of a black and white image, but to add colour and compose correctly for the desired effect of the image you want to create can be even more rewarding and worthwhile.

I’ve also learned the pleasure of capturing small moments with a decent camera phone. There are just some moments that you can’t always have your camera with you to capture, and that’s where a phone comes in handy. The image doesn’t have to be pixel perfect, or well lit - it just has to convey the most important parts of the scene, or subject - viewers will fill in the rest, and for that reason - I recently began uploading street photos that I am now capturing with my phone. More on that later.