Monday 8 July 2013

Sketchbooks, Weeds and Phone Cameras

At the margins of our garden there are great clumps of stinging nettles. I like them about the place, they are a food source for insects and great on the compost heap. 

They've now grown at such a rate I almost feel as if I can see them grow in front of my eyes, at four foot plus, they are leggy and strong and wave about in the slightest breeze just waiting to catch me unawares. 

Reminding me that I must draw them before I cut them down.
Along with my sketchbook I took out my phone . . .  I can almost guarantee always to have a phone with me, and so I find I use my phone as a camera more and more . . . and, now it has a new gadget! 

I've discovered the Olloclip, three lenses in one, which fits onto an iPhone. A fisheye, a macro, and a wide angle lens. It's brilliant fun but a potential time trap!
A minor issue with the macro is the very short depth of field, so the slightest breeze and it's almost impossible to be in focus (I think these are male flowers)
From my drawing position viewed through the fisheye
It's a small step from working in the garden, to wandering around with my new toy to see what I can photograph. Aromatic sweet cicely is scenting the air with hints of aniseed and getting ready to broadcast its seeds.
Trying to time using the macro in-between gusts of wind - I can see I need a bit of practice - but I can also see how this will be useful for ideas related to paintings, oooh.

2 comments:

  1. I love the fish eye view, what fun!

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  2. I think it'll be fun to do portraits with! It made me think of the distorted reflections in the mirror of the Arnolfini Portrait...

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