After the storm.... Again

As some might have seen from Facebook, it took a little while to get going this morning. The night was filled with whistling snow and wind and it was impossible to see out of any of the windows first thing. (By this I mean around 11am). Each time there's a snow storm the resulting landscape is different, even within the town. The wind seems to be patternless, blowing in different directions and with varying levels of power resulting in something new each time. Higher snowdrifts, whole paths disappeared, beaches black where the water comes in but white everywhere else. 

This is a newly sited drift which the ever present snow plough is clearing. 

My housemate Penny in the recently cleared road. 

Today I am pulling together the black and white images I have made and am attempting to order them in some way for display. This may well turn out to be a book or number of books which are themed in some way. They are also likely to form the basis of any montage works on my return to the UK. 

I'm looking at more macro images today and finding shape rather than a whole image. 

For some reason I can't do the blog on my computer without stretching the pictures so each day I do it on my phone, taking photographs of the mac screen as I go... Bear with me!!

They don't come up as good quality but it gives an idea of the images I'm playing around with. 

Some dramatic skies as well. 

Although I tend to always choose to work in black and white, the colours here merit their own publication. Greys and blues abound however the richness of Browns and oranges are apparent as soon as you venture near the less solid ground. Having said that, the blue grey boiling mud kept me transfixed for a long while. 

I really wanted to go out and photograph today but the weather looks like this:

The camera copes well with getting a bit wet, but not with the whole cold to warm condensation issues. I have used so many silica gel packets but they work wonders. 

I intended that my work would look at some similar themes from previous photography pieces - the idea of the place and the real or imagined memories of the people within it. Although I have few images of people, some of the stories I have heard whilst here, from locals as well as 'incomer' artists are reflected in the images I am making. There is a back story in the village, told differently by each author. The narrative changes depending on the factors affecting individuals. As with other work, I will not explain or define these stories, however the single images as well as future montages tell it in visual terms, to be interpreted at will. Clichéd though it sounds, and is, there is real happiness and sense of community here as well as the current and past traumas which have moulded both Skagastrond and the rest of the island. 

I have a feeling that this image will figure strongly in future work. It may not always be easy to spot but it will be there. 

I would love to start some layering of images to begin creating something but my 13" screen just doesn't cut it, or my eyesight is getting worse! I miss my 27" mac. Not as much as Steve, the kids, Max and best friends, but nearly...!

Some more bubbling mud.

And another empty Icelandic road waiting for the next adventure.....

I'm going to attempt a walk in the next few minutes, so will sign off for today. 

Enjoy the rest of Sunday. 

Love, 

Aly x