Fuji TX2

The Headtree

*The Headtree*
Fuji XT2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: N.

As I was preparing the upcoming exhibition of my work at the Blue Lotus Gallery in HK, me and the gallery owners went through my entire body of work on the Photosynthesis project, and this particular photo came up that for some reason I had previously overlooked. I think I was so focused on textures at the beginning that I didn’t pay enough attention to this one. Looking back, not only is it beautiful but it’s also a precursor of things to come, when I started to use the tree outlines a lot more.

Through the leaves

*Through the leaves*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Laura
Texture: Foliage

Another foliage silhouette that I quite like. The motion of the leaves is reflected in the implied motion of the pose.

Obscured by Dieffenbachia

*Obscured by Dieffenbachia*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: David
Texture: Dieffenbachia Seguine

There are some leaf textures that I really love and come back to repeatedly. Such is Dieffenbachia Seguine. It has this lovely contrast of light green to dark green that works really well with double exposures.

 

Wistful

*Wistful*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Lara
Texture: Unknown

Control of the models over their images is a very important aspect of this project for me. I fully realise that posing naked is not a trivial endeavour, and I’ve heard too many stories about callous photographers. All this to say that in the initial selection of shots from this session, the model wasn’t sure about sharing this one so it wasn’t shared. But a couple of months ago, Lara changed her mind, which made me really happy because I adore this image.

My mind is in the clouds

*My mind is in the clouds*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Christina
Texture: Foliage

One of the tricky things with the « inverted treetop » technique is to avoid excessive wind because the image is then blurry. But as always with this double exposure project, I get accidental winners, such as this photo of Christina. Here the foliage was clearly in motion, but it creates this strange blurry bokeh effect that I find beautiful.

Dieffenbachia Suit

*Dieffenbachia Suit*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Christina
Texture: Dieffenbachia Seguine

The challenge with big leaf textures is that they paint themselves across different parts of the body and sometimes that breaks the abstraction that makes this series work. Yet here, the texture seems to espouse the model’s skin to the point that it looks like a painted wetsuit, and I think that makes it effective.

Peeking through

*Peeking through*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Lia
Texture: Branches

Another successful photo (if I say so myself). I love the way that Lia’s eye shines through despite the mess of branches around her face.

Fall Silhouette

*Fall Silhouette*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Christina
Texture: ?

So the newest thing in this double exposure project is something I’ve struggled with for a while. The idea is, instead of shooting a recognisable texture, to shoot the top of a tree and foliage below. That shot is inverted (the camera is upside down) so that the treetop and the sky are at the bottom of the double exposed silhouette. The result is a fractured yet ethereal silhouette. Exposure needs to be just right, so it’s tricky, but when it works, as I think it does here, it’s very effective.

Leafy Dermis


*Leafy Dermis*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Laura
Texture: Ixora Coccinea

There are certain plant textures that don’t look like much but turn out working great (and some that you think are going to look awesome and turn out disappointing). This Ixora Coccinea is all over Victoria Park in hedges, mostly; I used it simply because I had not tried it before, but I didn’t expect it to work. I was wrong. On this picture it looks properly organic, and I love how different it looks in Laura’s hair.

Half a Nymph


*Half a Nymph*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model: Lia
Texture: Tagetes Erecta

With flowers, my double exposures are hit or miss. Flowers are usually very bright compared to the leaves around, and this can work in a nice bucolic kind of way or completely blow the image and ruin it. I’m glad here that it has worked. I was trying a half bust portrait, which I’ve already done in the past but with less success. I’m really pleased of the result here.