Pictorialism movement
These two images appeal to me – they are both calming and depict a point in time despite the artists avoiding realism.
Straight photography
I was attracted to the Max Dupain link because I know he’s Australian. This particular image reminds me of my own childhood. Every Sunday morning mid October through mid March down the beach for nippers – not negotiable.
A closer look at the image takes my breath away, the sheen of the water on the sand and the reflections captured in it is an effect I’ve been experimenting with for some time. It requires a particular tide or angle of sand near the edge of ocean to achieve.
The angle of the lifesavers hints at the weight difference between the front and back of the boat. We can see the rear is supported by the water, shown by the splash around the last man’s foot. He looks tired yet focused on the task of getting the boat safely up onto the sand. We see increasing exertion in the crew as our eyes head towards the front of the boat. The angle of each man increases as does the tension and expectancy. I can tell the crew is about to be helped by a wave. The crew at the back are aware and already using the wave, while those at front are yet to receive help from the ocean.
The background is out of focus but gives enough information to tell more about this day. The club caps of the boat crew are different to a rope rescue team behind them. Thick Norfolk island pines indicate a less urban beach than the ones of my everyday youth.
I’m reminded of a weekend carnival away camping at a ‘not city’ beach. The calm still of the water and reflections in the foreground is in direct contrast to the activity of ‘beaching the boat’ and other surf carnival busy’ness behind it. White caps, sand & shirts contrast with the dark wood of the boats and the swimming costumes. Light creeping under the front of the boat punctuates the exertion needed to move it by sharply outlining the shadow of the hull.
For me this photograph is a historical documentary on the Australian surf club movement & early culture. It is an image and historical story I aspire to replicate & continue to tell the story of its evolution. I have many photos of beaches & had not considered attempting to capture the emotions of the Australian surf carnival before seeing this inspiring image. Some carnivals still include traditional events such as the march past & boat race, I hope these allow me to capture some of the nostalgia this image has brought up for me.