The Essential Role of Scale in Revealing
the Subtlety of Texture and Colour
Texture, size, and colour hold a complex relationship in photography, one that is both fundamental and elusive. In the SAXUM series, these elements are not merely visual components; they are integral to how the images communicate with the viewer.
Texture, captured in large format, invites the viewer to engage with the landscape on a physical level. The scale of these photographs—the biggest 181x140cm—allows the surfaces of the Mountains to be experienced more fully, turning the images into spaces that one can almost enter. I remember standing there, feeling the weight of the rocks around me, the air thin and crisp, and how the exhaustion made me see these textures not just with my eyes, but with my entire being. This immersion is intentional, reflecting those moments of physical and mental fatigue when the self begins to dissolve into the natural world.
Colour in SAXUM is used with restraint, becoming a subtle partner to texture. Without strong shadows, the muted tones of the landscape emerge quietly, adding depth without overpowering. The choice of early morning or evening light, or overcast conditions, ensures that colour does not dominate but rather complements the textures, allowing them to take center stage.
The interplay of these elements—texture, size, and colour—raises questions about how we perceive and interact with art. In smaller formats, the impact of these photographs diminishes; they lose the ability to envelop and transport. However, when viewed as intended, in large scale, they become more than images—they become an experience, inviting the viewer to see more and to feel more, to sense the subtleness of these landscapes as they resonate with our interior worlds.
The Essential Role of Scale in Revealing the Subtlety of Texture and Colour
Texture, size, and colour hold a complex relationship in photography, one that is both fundamental and elusive. In the SAXUM series, these elements are not merely visual components; they are integral to how the images communicate with the viewer.
Texture, captured in large format, invites the viewer to engage with the landscape on a physical level. The scale of these photographs—the biggest 181x140cm—allows the surfaces of the Mountains to be experienced more fully, turning the images into spaces that one can almost enter. I remember standing there, feeling the weight of the rocks around me, the air thin and crisp, and how the exhaustion made me see these textures not just with my eyes, but with my entire being. This immersion is intentional, reflecting those moments of physical and mental fatigue when the self begins to dissolve into the natural world. This immersion is intentional, reflecting moments of physical and mental exhaustion when the self begins to dissolve into the natural world.
Colour in SAXUM is used with restraint, becoming a subtle partner to texture. Without strong shadows, the muted tones of the landscape emerge quietly, adding depth without overpowering. The choice of early morning or evening light, or overcast conditions, ensures that colour does not dominate but rather complements the textures, allowing them to take center stage.
The interplay of these elements—texture, size, and colour—raises questions about how we perceive and interact with art. In smaller formats, the impact of these photographs diminishes; they lose the ability to envelop and transport. However, when viewed as intended, in large scale, they become more than images—they become an experience, inviting the viewer to see more and to feel more, to sense the subtleness of these landscapes as they resonate with our interior worlds.
