Creative Influences

Tony Howell Photographer

Tony Howell is one of England's finest landscape photographers he is a professional photographer with over 30 years of experience, Tony Howell is based in Somerset. His images can be found in many different resources such as books, calendars, magazine’s, BBC TV, billboards, brochures, catalogues, posters, postcards, websites, national newspapers, and many more.

He started using a camera in 1977. He is mostly interested in the natural world because he loved nature so much. He takes photos by expressing his feelings in order to send out a message through his photos. His greatest achievement would be inspiring others. This helps him to improve on his skills and to capture better glimpses of the exciting and fragile world as he would like to call it. I really started seeing the world for the first time.

The first ever camera he had used was a Pentax K1000 35mm SLR in 1979. In 1982 he brought his first medium format camera which was a Rolleiflex 2.8F, 6x6cm, he started taking photos at the age of 17 when his dad had brought him a camera and that’s how he started taking images and saw the world in a different angle. He had four images, which were in an exhibition in Clifton, Bristol in 1985.

These were his main clients when he took photos, which were books, Calendar, magazine publishers, design agencies and the public. He also had photographers who had inspired him in his work who were Ansel Adams and Paul Strand; they were both legendary black and white photographers.

He uses polarising filter to reduce reflections and glare, also to darken blue skies and increase saturation. He also uses neutral density filters to reduce the shutter speed for moving water.

When I started using a camera in 1977, I really started seeing the world properly for the first time. Tony took photographs because he was interested in anything beautiful, but particularly the natural world. He just loved nature; he loved the creative process, and tuning in to my own interpretation of the subject trying to express his feelings about what he sees. He hoped to get his message across in his images, peace and joy through beauty. Concentrate on beauty and it infuses your life. It can be a spiritual experience that lifts him higher, mostly when he is photographing but sometimes when he makes a great print and relive being there.

Eample 1:

Context:

Burnham Lighthouse, Night 6299 Somerset, England Burnham Lighthouse Home

Burnham's classic landmark, the wooden Lighthouse on the beach, built 1832 and still in use.

Subjective:

In this photography, you can tell that the image has its full attention to details. I like the colour of the sky and how it has lifted the lighthouse making it a wonderful image. This photography has been taken after sunset. You can tell that the photographer has spent his time while taking the photography and has been patient for the right time to come. I will like to learn how to capture photographs one day like Tony.

Objective:

A lighthouse is sitting on top of a beach.

Eample 2:

Context:

Cheddar Gorge, Traffic Trails, Night 6223 Somerset, England Cheddar Gorge Home

Subjective:

When I first looked at this photography, I was thinking how he got the line in the middle of the road that looks like a light. After researching other photographers work, I was impressed how tony captured this image. The image is shaped and clear in my own eyes. I like the way the light shows in the photography. It shows the mood and emotions. In order to get this image you must be shooting in shutter speed mode.

Objective:

It is a line in the middle of a narrow road leading to a bend.

Christopher 'o' Donnell Photographer

Through his work, he would like to show a vantage point that is rarely seen in reality; a show of beauty, emotion, and serenity. There are countless mesmerizing scenes among us that are often hidden from society his goal is to expose them to the world so that he may share the wonders he has seen. After college, he returned to the coast of Maine to pursue his love of landscape photography and have made it his career. Maine is one of the few states that is relatively untouched by human interference, which makes it the perfect landscape. His work changes like the seasons of New England, which always presents him with surreal opportunities to create something unique.

Example 1:

Context:

The coast of Maine is a small tidal lagoon, which is usually filled with timid swimmers during the summer months, but is abandoned now as the weather slowly warms up.  Being able to visit this location before the busier summer months allows him to capture rare scenes like this.

Subjective:

I like the way the colours, which appear in the sunset and the way the image, has been combined. You can tell the photography has been planned before it has been taken.

Objective:

A lagoon has been abandoned near sea or lake.

Eample 2:

Context:

Reid State Park was a unique experience – passing snow squalls cleared unexpectedly towards the horizon and provided him with this surreal opportunity to capture the water’s edge just as the storm clouds began to break open. Although some parts of Georgetown still have 3 feet of snow on the ground, the snow here is far less due to the warmer microclimate. Not only did he have a dramatic environment, but also the low tide allowed him to photograph what the ocean water usually covers.

Subjective:

This is an interested photograph to me. I like the way it has details in the photography. The photographer has been there for a while to get the right shutter speed and capturing the photography at the right time in order to bring out the quantity in to photography.

Objective:

Dying grass in the winter season.