Current Work
Thoughts for the awakened
It was still dawn and the Grand Harbour in Valletta was still silent and calm. The stars were still showing off and the moon illuminated the path towards the location where it was decided to lay and take some sunrise shots. My intention was to take some time lapse shots of the sun rising over Kalkara. The weather was just perfect and the sea was as calm as thy self.
So many subjects, so many ways of executing a shot, so many thoughts.
I had the time to set up my 5D on the tripod and launch the sequence for then I grabbed the 20D to take some mobile shots and this is the result, I will publish the time lapse later on.
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- Awaiting a sunrise I could not but miss the serenity of this harbour, not just a harbour but a Grand Harbour.
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- Whilst the 5D was shooting a sequence for a timelapse project I grabbed the 20D and exposed her sensor to the sun again after some time in the dark. It was like going back just a year ago.
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- Oh time, you never wait, you are never expected to wait, what is that, you leave behind, for those who sorrow and dream of an eternal existence.
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- A bird inside a cage forgets how to fly, a dolphin inside a pool forgets how to dive, a lion inside a Zoo forgets how to hunt, a human without freedom of expression forgets how to live.
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- Just as the sun rose over Kalkara the light hitting the objects and reflecting on the sensor changed within milliseconds. each instance was unique each ray of light had a specific function, each object became a subject.
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- I do not exist, I am alive, for flight is my freedom if that is at all a sane thought.
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- Overlooking the horizon, overlooking the lines of protection, what should I be expecting to find.
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- The sea almost motionless, but through time, a soft drape it will become.
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- Monitoring from time to time the exposure of the sequence I could not miss the bright light coming out of the viewfinder, and thought that it might be a good subject.
My World Photographic Exhibition extended
“My World” Photographic Exhibition in July
This photographic exhibition will be held at the “ Centre for National Culture – Ir-Razzett tal-Markiz Mallia Tabone” in Mosta, between the 3rd and the 16th of July. MAP to talent Mosti.
“My World” is a collection of works that portray my self through different times, the good times, the bad times, others when I was relaxed or tense. The main scope of the exhibition came from a question posed to me some time ago, “Why do I photograph”, what is it that makes me want snap more, or to wake up early morning just to take a couple of shots.
Many times I ask myself
What is the philosophy behind my urge to stop time
And for just one fraction of a second capture it
And freeze that moment in a photograph
What is that energy that I feel
That makes me want to get the next shot
Then another one
And another one
What makes me run through the night
Searching just the right lighting
Just the right corner
To portray what I have in mind
What is it that drives me through the early morning
When the sun has not yet risen
And I am there waiting in pure solitude
Waiting for just one instance
Maybe a couple of shots, then its over
Why do I get that strange feeling
That my camera is an extension to my self
Is it just a means of expression
Or maybe a way how to record time
Is it because I simply love it
Or maybe because I want to leave something behind
When I am not there any more
rchircop @ Earth Garden 2011
The Last Drop
The Flow
The earth garden being held at the national park in ta’ Qali next weekend will host some great artistic expressions with one subject at heart, “Water cycle”.
I will be exhibiting three photographic expressions about the natural aspects of water and the various impacts it has on life around us. I kept in mind the different means of use and also observed the spiritual aspect of water not only as a source of life but also as a purifier of the soul.
“ I sat down and looked at the flow of water, how it went around obstacles, how it dropped from heights and how it balanced on sharp edges. simply looking at this gave me the impression of stopping time, at least for that moment”. Whilst working on this project I realised that the real essence of water is not only about cleansing and the satisfaction of thirst, but also the mental flow of thoughts. My equipment stood there, inactive for some time, until I realised that I had some work to do. I got so connected that I forgot why I was there in the first place.”
These exhibits will be on display in the arts square on the 4th and 5th of June at the National Park in Ta’ Qali.
Earth Garden Map
When they all go to bed
The sun goes down, the moon takes its place, the streets calm down, the worker goes home to rest, everything else is abandoned to its destiny, there is where darkness light and shadows pop out with a profusion of aspects of everyday life. There is where reality hits hard the repetition of the system shows its drastic effect of time and adaptation to the normalities of the sequence.
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- The clear and evident marks of use and misuse of this door attracted me to amplify the effects of repetitve use of onjects in the material world.
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- The Balcony kept in place by the seven strengths.
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- They creep when darkness falls, they climb from the roots beneath the ground, damn shadows.
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- The sun goes down, the moon rises, the streets are silent, where are they now.
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- The features on this wall, the little door, the shutters almost closed but not, the position of the lamp post and the way it was shedding the light on the subject.
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- The elements of life and their drastic effect of whats around us.
The Timelapse Experiment
Whilst driving around after midnight I stationed at each intersection I found and took some video for my time-lapse experiment. I could not miss out on some long exposures at these points and this is the result. It was the beginning of the weekend so most of the roads were quite busy, and that kept me happy.
The Godfather
I have been working on a project for the past 2 years or so, themed between the 1920′s – 30′s with the malavita in mind. I wanted to get out the intricacies the strengths and the difficulties and moments of anger and anguish which one might suffer due to various happening. The model Owen Gusman just had the right characteristics and very professional and patient into getting out very abstract facial expressions, at time totally inverse expressions during the same session. I am still working on this project so there is more to come.
Searching for Inspiration
I ran through the island of Gozo like a mad man changing gear, position and vision of subject in order to get some stimulating inspiration, where finally I got it, unable then to stop. Everything started to vibrate, everything became a subject then.
Oddly Shaped Objects
From time to time I fall in a mood of pure abstract. It happens very rarely and when it does I am very irrational. I feel the need to be just myself and in this moments time flies as if it had no significance. This is just some work that I am currently working on and adding from “time to time”.
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- We are usually lost in what is in our dimention, that is usuall an optical viewpoint of approx 45 degress. anything beyond that point goes off our comfort zone so I felt i should break that and look beyond. So this image is simply a portrait off the 45 degree angle.
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- This image attracted me because to me it shows the society we live in, put together. we all look the same but we are not. Everyone is an individual, unique with all the features.
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- time represented by the weathering effects on the beams and the step is the top part which goes down the further you look in the image. I wanted this 3D illusion to portray the passage of time.
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- I noticed these columns from far and had encountered others like them along the path. I see a representation of time and strenght in them.
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- A metal Beam that looked strong and endles today looks beaten, lost. Again the effect of time, age, the movement of energy here from one medium to another.
Electrics
I have been recently experimenting with long exposure shots and nothing more than beautiful lightening were my subject. We had plenty of them in Malta this winter and more to come so with every tempest I look out for a good vantage point to get some real nice lightnings without being hit myself. Thanks to my new Cokin filters the job was real easy but required a lot of patience.
Paris 2010
As I go along I realize that I have many small projects of different categories which I will be working on an ” on and off ” basis. These works are worked upon as I go along and depends mostly on the mood I am in. So the diversity of works in here will show my current raison detre.
