What’s in a portrait?

May 11, 2017May 11, 2017 / mikeosbornphoto / 15 Comments

Click to enlarge

I’m not a photographer of people. I prefer the ease and reliability of landscapes, architecture and, well, objects. If figures do make their way into my frames, it’s in moments of candour or they just happen to waft into the frame.

So this is a rare venture. Mike is sitting on a favourite armchair in my apartment, gazing out at the canal. He looks serious yet relaxed. While he knew I was there with the camera, the only direction from me was not to pose, just to let the photograph happen.

What’s made me interested in portraiture? Well, it’s when you find yourself a willing sitter who is actually pleased that you want to take their photograph. It helps if you have a connection to them and want to capture their likeness, mood and their moments. Sharing the results with them and ensuring you’re both happy completes the circle of portrait creation. Can you really do this with a building?…

The islanders

February 21, 2016April 25, 2021 / mikeosbornphoto / 14 Comments

The island of Sri Lanka is a country of great natural beauty. But it also bristles with life and people, particularly in its bustling cities and towns. During my recent trip, I found my camera turning towards its people. Some of them I met and asked to take their photographs, sending them copies of their portraits when I returned home.

There was Lala, a pleasant, polite man who showed me the local village and Mr Silva the sarong seller who looks careworn in his picture, but waved and smiled at me after our encounter. I didn’t meet the lady in white seen on Kandy’s main street – but she seemed to gaze straight into the lens.

Other Sri Lankans were observed and captured from a greater distance, while there was no shortage of street and crowd scenes on a busy festival day in Kandy. Sri Lanka also boasts a wide variety of animal life, from cheeky monkeys to a docile cow who watched the sunset on the beach and then lumbered away. Faces become even more fascinating when they’re less familiar…

Click first image to launch the gallery

2014 moments #5

December 30, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

I would like to share my 10 most memorable photographs of the year over the coming days with you. These are shots that I am particularly proud of, while each evokes a sense of place and meaning from 2014.

JENNIFER SAUNDERS

A visit to the Hay Festival in June brought work and passion colliding head-on. Armed with a photographer’s pass, I spent a number of days taking shots of the great, good and famous, including legendary funny lady Jennifer Saunders. Her character comes through in this photograph, while the whole experience taught me that I can operate out of my comfort zone, capture portraits – and enjoy it.

Canalside captures

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 28 Comments

In a first I’ve joined forces with another photographer and friend, Richard Cooper-Knight of CK Ponderings.

We took a long walk along London’s Grand Union Canal, starting at Paddington Station and finishing at Ladbroke Grove in the west of the city. It encompassed the contemporary high rises of Paddington Basin, the charm of Little Venice to urban grit – and even a meeting with a photography barge selling pictures.

Click to enlarge

Richard takes up the story of two photographers’ first collaboration:

I’d been looking forward to working on a joint photo project with another fellow blogger. After a false start and unexpected change of venue, Mike and I hit Paddington Basin with the weather on our side.

It was interesting to see the different approaches we take to photography. Mike has a studied approach, taking time to work out the framing and set up of each shot, while I tend to go for more quick fire shooting.

There are definite pros and cons to both approaches – I like capturing the moment, while Mike ends up with fewer photographs to process (he had around 40 shots compared to my 200). But it was interesting to see both in action, and I hope you’re pleased with the results!

Click first image for the full gallery experience