Overlooked Places: Outside and In

A contemplative look into quiet woodland corners of Roundhay Park, Leeds.

Read more about the images in this gallery HERE …

About This Gallery of Images

When I started in photography, I imagined that the most important factors were (1) subject and composition; (2) camera craft – exposure etc; (3) processing technique – particularly when I was using film in the 70s/80s.

Now don’t get me wrong, they are all important but looking at the notes I've made and collected over the last few years suggests there’s a fourth, more nebulous factor. I've filed the notes under headings such as ‘sense of self’; belonging; sight and seeing; what matters; sense of place; perception of time; importance of names; art as therapy.

As you can see – nothing remotely connected with camera technique or processing.

Likewise, my books on photography technique are also neglected, gathering dust on the bottom shelves, while I’m reading ‘Zen Camera’ by David Ulrich; ‘The Soul of the Camera’ and ‘A Beautiful Anarchy’ by David duChemin; ‘The Artist’s Way’ by Julia Cameron.

And similarly, I imagined that we walk in the park for exercise but, in practice, we found more, far more there; another factor – nebulous and important – wellbeing and peace of mind. Now I understand what it means to be ‘in the moment’ – to be meditative, contemplative; to be at ease.

These images are less dramatic and showy than my other woodland gallery [ HERE … ].

These images invite you to consider (and celebrate) the things we overlook, inside and out.

Take care

Paddy