My entries for Landscape Photographer of the Year

LPOTY ???

"But you are not a landscape photographer,..... are you??? I mean, you photograph people, right??? And doorknobs???  That's not like photographing trees and stuff is it?? " I hear this all the time.

Some people will think I'm only entering because my boyfriend got in the book last year. And that I've never shot a landscape until I went to Scotland with him this year. So. Very. Wrong!

I'm a full time photographer. I've been a photographer forever it seems. My passion is Travel photography, which surprisingly incorporates different kinds of landscapes. Yes I'm known for my people, music, fashion, documentary and product photography but surprise surprise, a lot of my past/present commercial work is actually ..... wait for it...... LANDSCAPE!

My clients were and still are Town Planning Consultants, Quarries and Landfill Sites, The Environment Agency, Travel companies and many more.

Yes I've walked for miles, waiting for the right light, I've even used a tripod and I have a huge box of filters. But I like to break the rules now and again... (who imposes these rules anyway?) I shoot landscapes without a tripod, I'll use a car bonnet or rock if I have to! Or dare I say it..... shoot handheld!

Yes I've photographed more landscapes in the past year than I have in previous years. It's a great way of having down time and still staying in love with photography when the rest of the time is crazy busy constantly shooting/editing.  It's also so nice when you finally meet someone who shares the same passions as you and doesn't mind the hours of non-communication which often comes from being at opposite ends of the beach!

I take all and none of my photography seriously. Yes that's right. I don't stress that the shot is not obvious and ready for me to press the shutter, I will go looking for it and make it happen. And I will ALWAYS come back with something good which I am happy with.

So I have entered this competition with photos which bring me enjoyment, some have been a stolen moment after an event, or while wandering around the city and others from our amazing trip to Scotland.

I have entered images which still come under the genre of landscape, maybe a little more abstract than traditional but nonetheless, still a landscape image.

I hope you like some of them, I hope some challenge your ideas about landscape, I don't mind if you really dislike some of them. It would be nice to be shortlisted, even better to be commended and be in the book/exhibition. Of course it would be awesome to win a category. I'm being realistic, I've never entered before. I know my vision is different to everyone else's so I'm taking a risk entering not as a landscape photographer but as a photographer who takes landscapes too!

These are some of my ideas about the genre of Landscape - the more traditional selection....

1. Loch Lomond through the trees

Taken on way back from Scotland, this image made Flickr explore I particularly like the abstraction but incorporating all the classic elements of landscape; trees, water, mist, rocks and land.

Entered into Classic View and Your View categories

Loch Lomond through the trees

2. First Morning

My first morning waking up in Terry's camper van on Mellon Udrigle beach. My first proper sunrise of the trip. This was my idea of heaven!
Classic View

First Morning

3. High Waters

Taken a short time after the above image, at Loch Lomond. Another play on boundaries, where the Loch and the land become one! 

Classic view/Your View

High Waters

4. Immersion

The Black Mount of Glencoe. I wanted to concentrate on the surface immersed in cloud and show where the relationship between two become one.

Classic view.

Immersion

5. Roadtrip

Aptly named - my first real stop to take in the beauty around us. This is what I imagined it would be like. It certainly didn't disappoint! 

Classic view

Roadtrip

6.Standing Proud 

The standing stones at Calanais. Each stone was beautiful, I wanted to show the raw beauty of this stone in context with her sisters. This image also made Flickr Explore.

Classic view

Standing Proud

7. Storm-o-way

An incredible sight as we drove from the ferry at Stornoway on our way to Harris. 

Classic view

Storm-o-way

8. Tree House

A very familiar sight on the Isle of Harris, Derelict buildings everywhere, taken back by their land. Classic view/Your view

Tree House

9. The Awakening

Sunrise on Mellon Udrigle beach. I had never seen the light dance like hard rain on the sand.

Classic view

The Awakening

10. Sticks and Stones

I could identify with the chaos of this beach. A pile of sticks. In no particular order. Some look for the lonely rock but to me this was perfection. 

Classic view

Sticks & Stones

11. Before the Fire

Taken from Canary Wharf with a Canon G12. My first experience of seeing rain like this. The sky turned to fire but I prefer these more subdued colours against the stark grey of the city!

Urban view

Before the Fire

12. Points of View

Another moment after an event up high. So many unexpected colours in the city. So many spires. So many cranes. The moment the sun turned everything to gold.

Urban view

Points of View

See my next blog post coming soon with the my images entered for Your View and Living the View

Tracy

Return to my World

Well that is what it feels like. A return to Pixel Vixen's world.

I've not been away. I've not been silent. Only on here.

I've been busy. Busy with photography and exhibitions. Busy with life, moving on. Busy moving forwards and upwards. Learning and growing.

2013 was quite a year. I may share some of it. Some of you will know all about it from Twitter, Facebook and some of you have been there with me all the way through it. Or some of it.

I left my part-time position of eCommerce Marketing Manager and Photographer almost a year ago.  The knowledge that you can support yourself (and daughter) as a freelancer is very comforting. Of course I have my good friend and work colleague Paul to thank for that. For support, for work, for being there. A great team. Also I thank my clients.

I achieved my goals.....

I photographed Prince Charles, David Cameron, Boris, a long list of World Leaders. I photographed not so famous people who were so extraordinary, they left their mark on my existence.

One of my photographs was used as a poster on London Underground for the Royal Parks. Much bigger than I had hoped for!

I travelled. To the city I loved the first time I went and still continue to love. New York.

My daughter became an adult. What happened there? She has always been very mature and grounded. She has worked for the last 3 years, she got good grades in A'Levels. She will do well. I am happy!

I met someone I like a lot, who has similar interests. Unexpected. Nice. Very nice.

I made new friends in random places, on trains, via Twitter, on the street.

I learned a lot about existing friendships. That is all.

I told the world that I was Daisy Meadows. That it was me who won the London Photography Award in 2010. Some of the world knew. Some didn't care. It didn't matter. I was glad the 'secret' was out! I exhibited in Wolverhampton at the Lighthouse Media Centre. I was happy to take my work back to my roots. To where my inspirations and passion for photography started.

I was reminded of the actual picture I saw as a teen, which made me so desperately want to become a photographer. The cover of Nik Kershaw's The Riddle album. I finally went to a Nik Kershaw gig. I met Kim Wilde and Rick Astley. I'm an 80's girl.... what can I say? ;)

I learned a lot about myself. I failed. I survived. I succeeded. I set new goals.

These are the cobwebs I needed to clear...

London Photography Award

After that chance meeting with Greg, I soon became the official photographer of the London Fringe Festival. Not only that, I decided to take on the organising of the London Photography Award.

Earlier in the year, I approached several of the main companies for sponsorship. It was difficult as this was the first year of the London Fringe and people wanted to see what we could do before they reached into pockets! I wasn't put off by this! We would make it work and we did!

The Photographer's brief was to submit images in response to the phrase 'Quick, before we come to our senses!' This was the same theme across several of the Awards including the Visual Art Award. Entries were made online and these were shortlisted by our judges who were Edmond Terakopian - Award Winning Photojournalist, Kate Day - Communities Editor of the Daily Telegraph and James Sparshatt - Photographer, Capital Culture.


Exhibition Flyer

Together with Gillian Best Powell, artist and organiser of the Visual Arts Award, we put on a fantastic exhibition of the shortlisted artists and photographers in the prestigious Bedfordbury Gallery in Covent Garden. The space was beautiful and it was such a pleasure to curate these wonderful works of art and work with talented artists. Gillian and I received all the works on Tuesday 3rd and hung the exhibition on Wednesday 4th with the greatly appreciated help of Neil Kelly and Bart Janssen who were shortlisted artists in the exhibition.

The Private View on Thursday 5th August was attended by over 200 people spilling out onto the street. The exhibition was open to the public from Friday 6th - Tuesday 10th August. Gillian and I inviligated the exhibition the whole time.

Here are the shortlisted submissions from the Artists and Photographers. Works are for sale and if you're interested, we can put you in touch with the Artist/Photographer.

The Fringe Report review of the exhibition can be seen here.

The winner of the London Photography Award 2010 was Daisy Meadows for her photograph 'Flingo'. The runner up of the Award was Colin Hampden-White for his photograph 'The Key'.

The winner of the London Art Award 2010 was Andrew Hladky for his painting 'It was not there'.

Winners were awarded a trophy at the London Awards Ceremony at the prestigious Waldorf Hilton Hotel, Aldwych, London WC2 on the 26th August. The announcement was made on BBC News prior to the Ceremony with the winner's work being shown on national television.

Working on these events was a lot of fun, with a lot of hard work which paid off. Seeing the final result of something you have created and spent most of your spare time on gives a huge feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.  I loved every moment of it even when rushing around, arranging posters, press releases, invites, nibbles etc. The first year of the London Fringe was a success and I am happy to be a major part of that!

The London Awards of Art and Performance will run again in 2011 and every year after that! Next year the festival will run from 1st - 29th July 2011. The Waldorf Hilton are very kindly sponsoring the London Awards Ceremony again which will be on 28th July 2011. I am organising the London Photography Award again. As soon as we have the schedule in place and a title brief for submissions, then all details will be made available.