The Snow Study images were the result of my own struggles to photograph in the snow.  Being a bit of a minimalist at heart, I find that snow provides a photographic eraser, covering the ground with a blanket of white and eliminating a lot of visual noise. However, my attempts to photograph in the snow until now have never lived up to my expectations.  It was only when I focused my camera on small areas of the ground  that I began to get the starkness, contrast and subject isolation I was looking for.  I set my exposure for the objects and not the white background. The result is that the snow becomes overexposed to the point of blowing out most of the detail.  I have tried to leave only hints of the snow structure.  The outcome is akin to a Japanese sumi-e ink painting, something I have always greatly admired.
Leaves, Snow Study ©Barry Rhodes
Twigs 3, Snow Study ©Barry Rhodes
Rocks, Snow Study ©Barry Rhodes
Twigs 5, Snow Study ©Barry Rhodes
Trunk, Snow Study ©Barry Rhodes
Snow Study 7 ©Barry Rhodes
Snow Study 8 ©Barry Rhodes
My interest in photography began many years ago while learning to take professional images of my pottery for submission to galleries and shows.  I have been a potter for over 45 years, with pieces in major collections and galleries across the US, including a piece in the permanent collection of the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC.  As an artist and former Physicist I have always been an admirer of great photography, but it wasn’t until COVID lockdown that I began photographing in earnest. By necessity but also by interest, I have limited my photos to subjects close to my home in rural Western North Carolina.  I am especially drawn to black and white photography, for its historical connections and its emphasis on darkness and light.
Contact:
Instagram: @barryrhodespottery, @brhofoto