Five-a-day: by Caroline Collett, Artist of the Week

For the last few days of my Artist of the Week tenure on the blog, I thought I would focus on one of the real pleasures of being involved in The Shed for me – seeing and appreciating other photographers’ work. So, over the next three days I will select five images a day from the gallery that really catch my eye, with a little note trying to define why I think they’re so good.

My first choice is Doug Chalk’s ‘East Cliff, West Bay’. I like all of Doug Chalk’s photos, but this one is particularly striking. I know the coastline well and the light on these cliffs at Burton Bradstock is amazing and ever-changing, but Doug managed to find a really spectacular moment here. The end of the rainbow is a great detail.

East Cliff, West Bay - by Doug Chalk

My second choice is Lottie Heffer’s ‘Alella Green Corridor’. Images of decay and dilapidation have long been a photographic standard and this is a great example. The location really does look to be exactly as found, in all its faded grandeur, but what makes it so great are the astonishing shades of green and yellow and the interplay with light.

Alella Green Corridor - by Lottie Heffer

Choice number three is Potato Field by Andy White. Again, ploughed fields have always attracted photographers for obvious reasons – pattern, repetition, endless lines of dark and light – but this is a very creative example because of the changes in pattern, the incline and 

the perspective, with the broad lines in the foreground coming towards you.

Potato Field - by Andy White

My fourth choice in this initial batch is ‘Hydrangea’ by Charles Hollsworth. Charles’ profile says that he is also a painter and I think this really shows. There’s a wonderful, almost operatic dramatic feel to some of his shots. This one is so painterly with its velvety, dark colours. So few people would have shot a dark flower against a dark background. Delicious!

Hydrangea - by Charles Hollsworth

My final choice today is ‘Ring’ by Jacques Tutcher. I find missed details more appealing than grand vistas in photography on the whole and the tight focus in here is wonderful, with just enough of the face to make you wonder about the person. An extremely sensitive shot with a light touch, made all the better for being in black and white.

Ring - by Jacques Tutcher

- Caroline Collett

To see Caroline's own work, please visit her Shed Profile. And as ever, keep the comments coming - it's great to have an interactive dialogue in response to Caroline's thoughts and reflections!