Pause for Thought

Even though I know it is important to keep working on my theme and constantly tweaking and pushing it, I sometimes get a bit 'stuck'Although I have useful tutorials,  it is hard not having other students on my course to share work and ideas with. I got a bit stuck recently so I decided to clear my mind and do something a bit different. As I am constantly focusing hard on the selection, significance, arrangement, look, contrast, colour of collections of small objects, I thought I would blur my focus to give my eyes a rest. I made a pinhole camera by taking the lens off and sticking over some tape with a tiny pinprick in it.
I then walked around the campus snapping architectural features and sky. It was lovely to be doing something more free and open.

Looking at these and many others I took, gave me a sense of calm with the blurred edges, limited colours and soft focus. I then manipulated them in my usual way.

I know I can't seem to get away from mirroring everything, but I am pleased with these structural and simple images produced from an antique process manipulated with digital technology.

The eye still seems to travel up and down and across the lines of symmetry, but there is also  a sense of blurred, calming shapes that come in and out of focus. They remind me a bit of the intricate skeletons and exoskeletons of insects and sea creatures.