The work of Toshio Shibata demonstrates an approach to photography that has a recognisable style with his use of lines, angles shapes and forms. Many of his images focus on moving water juxtaposed with lines, curves and shapes from man-made objects that impose control over the environment.
The aim was to create a set of images with a theme contrasting stillness and movement. After considering various ideas, mostly linked to the theme of water or the movement of animals, the plan was to take shots of butterflies, but unfortunately, Butterfly World did not live up to its name, so a change of subject was quickly planned. The final set of images feature water and fish, taken at Tropical World, Roundhay Park.
The images make use of the subject matter contrasting still green leaves with running water, but also make use of different shutter speeds and depth of field to give a sense of movement with the fish.
Aiming to capture stillness and movement, the majority of the images also create a feeling of calmness and reflection. The exception is the third image, which in contrast to the other images feels busy and is the only image not to contain any foliage, which is a unifying feature. The limited colour palate also contributes to the sense of belonging.
Taking a set of images that work in a series, is a new experience for me. I found this an interesting thought process in both reviewing the images to choose and considering what aspects of the image (e.g. content, colours, shapes) contribute towards a coherent set.
Karen Gourlay: Foundations in Photography 