Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

It all started with the idea of turning something that people generally love to loathe into to something lovely to look at. To challenge the idea that something may not be quite so ordinary.

I had purchased a light pad in 2020 and loved the effect it created by isolating a subject on a bright background. I find high key and minimalist images appealing, so I knew I had to keep pursuing this style more. It was something different to the landscapes I had been concentrating on for a while and it was time to concentrate on something new.

When out walking each morning, I began noticing how beautiful some roadside weeds (wild oats), looked when the early morning light hit them. Both illuminating and enhancing their shapes. This sparked the start of the Weed Project. Weeds are something we walk past every day, never really noticing and I thought “Why not!” there’s an abundance out there, the choice of subjects was endless and it was a fitting subject for this project. They’re very ordinary but in this light, they were pretty, and I was intrigued by the idea of what images I may be able to make with my light pad and weeds as a subject.

I began with different compositions using some wild oats and my collection grew from there. Dandelion seeds, Pussy Willows and the seeds from Wild Oats are currently my favourites.

Whilst these pesky weeds can often be considered a menace by many, I’ve tried to find the beauty in them, using my macro lens to bring out the finer details.

Weeds, yes of course they can be annoyting, but I’ve also found them dainty, delicate and elegant. Some have pretty flowers, others are light and fluffy, some are feathery, others spiky, but all have beauty in their own right. As Cecelia Ahern says “A weed is just a flower growing in the wrong place”.

All of my subjects were collected from around my home and throughout my neighbourhood and the collection continues to grow.

After compiling quite a series, I was proud of what I had created, so I decided to enter the 2021 Photographer of the Year competition run by Australian Photography Magazine with 2 portfolios of 4 images. I was very honoured and delighted that my portfolio “Sinister Beauty” won first place in the Black and White category and a second portfolio “Invasive Beauty” placed in the Top 30 in the Nature category. The 2 portfolio’s are show below and you can also find them in my gallery of awarded images.