11 Carol and Russell Monson Glasgow to Skye November

Family and travel continue to be a focus for our photography, in fact you could say that photography is a focus for the travel. We are very fortunate in being able to travel in Australia and overseas.

This new exhibition is a result of photographic work done with Nick Hanson of Skye Photography Academy. We spent a month on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, to develop our photographic skills in Landscape photography with someone whose work we admired and who knew the island intimately. Nick not only helped us develop our photographic skills but also our critical eye.

Sharing a passion for photography and an interest in visual arts generally has stimulated and educated our eye for subject matter. While we go to the same places and see the same sights, our images are often very different because we see things from a different perspective. Now we can be more critically aware of our own images.

This exhibition is an attempt to see Skye through eyes different from the eye of a travel agent. We had some chilly mornings waiting for the sun to rise; we chased foggy mornings when fog drifted across calm loch waters; braved the rain to practice new techniques such as ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) and develop abstract beach photography. We also had to reflect on how timeless the landscape of Skye is in comparison to the decay of human created constructions.

Some of these images have been used to develop a range of textile pieces to accompany relevant photographs.

Once home, the Warragul Camera Club and competing in competitions, became the main drivers and resources for our development as photographers / artists. We have both studied units from the Advanced Diploma of Photography at Photography Studies College which provided an added structure to our learning.

Club workshops and outings, impromptu outings with other club members, and a partner with a shared interest in both photography and travel makes it a lot easier to get out there and take photos.