There is a spot, about an hour away, that I have started to frequent en route to Aurillac in the Cantal. This particular morning the light was bright and the rain had subsided. I spotted a field that had been flooded and stopped the car to take a photograph. Although the colours were vivid, with bright blues reflected from the sky into the pools of water, set against the green of the grass, I decided to convert to black and white. For me, the image was about contrast and shade and the setting had an old and familiar feel about it. I was after a soft feel, reminiscent of my days when I produced countless drawings in pencil.
There is a texture added and techniques are used to give the photograph a painterly feel. The colours have been reduced slightly, adding a sense of age. Using my technique I am able to play with light and contrast, softening certain areas and strengthening others, which enables me to draw the viewers eye to a specific part of the image, very much like a painter would do. I aim to produce images that evoke a strong sense of nostalgia, and my subjects are almost always trees
Dan Courtice is a photographer living in rural France. He takes inspiration from the varied landscapes around him, with a particular affinity for trees. He is influenced by landscape paintings of the 19th century, with a style characterised by soft colours and textures. His work evokes feelings of.. Read more…