One of the most positive things which has transpired as a result of redeveloping my website is learning about and from other people's talents, and being exposed to a new range of experiences. The photography session I set up with Hannah and Rachel to produce the photos needed for the different sections of the website was no exception. I know Hannah through work, and am impressed on an almost daily basis with the photos which she posts on Instagram. Hannah and her sister Rachel both specialise in landscape photos, particularly of Scotland. You can see some of their photos below - click on the links to visit them on Instagram to see more.
We decided to take photos of me printing up some of my Red Hen linocuts, as these are always very popular - plus, the rich red of the inks makes them very photogenic. They did a fantastic job of capturing each stage of the process - I love this one of me lifting the paper to reveal the print. The red of the hen ties in with the red of the press.
They captured images which I would never have thought of taking myself. This photo of me checking the paper in the light - I love the way this has been captured, my pose silhouetted against the window (and of course, the detail of Max sleeping on - he's a permanent fixture of my studio when I'm in there printing). The photo of the cogs of my press - I like the detail of this, and aesthetically, it's so pleasing. The photo of the dented tin of plate oil covered in ink spots and finger prints is testament to how often my equipment is used - and Hannah and Rachel found beauty in that.
As I observed at the start, redeveloping my website has made me appreciate the skills and talents of other people. In my day job, I'm expected, quite rightly, to have a certain level of knowledge and competence in my field - and as a mother of a young child, I'm also constantly making decisions about what is hopefully the best course of action for my daughter. So for me, there was something profoundly relaxing about the photoshoot - Hannah and Rachel did a great job of allaying my nerves and directing the process - all I had to do was focus on my printmaking. It is a great experience when someone with expertise leads on a situation and your role is to simply to participate and be guided by that person.