As frustrating as lockdown can feel, it does give a bit more time to get stuck into things we might not have otherwise got to, and to spend more time on the things we normally do. Not feeling like I'm working against the the clock, I was surprised that I was able to develop two completely different composites in a relatively short space of time recently.

As you can see from these two images, I've gone off in different directions and the one on the right - Blue- is quite a dramatic departure from my usual work.

The first one, Coming and Going, is a representation of city life, along the lines of some composites I've done before, though I think this one is a bit more dynamic. I've used components of around ten different photographs that were taken in three different cities (I'll leave you to guess which cities) to create a piece that reflects the speed and buzz of city life.  It has elements of industry, home life, nature and obviously transport, all mixed in. I've even used bridge-type structures to help give the tunnel effect and give a sense of speed.

With Blue, I've used a very different set of photographs, all taken in rural areas areas.  I had no idea what I was aiming for with this work, but was interested in experimenting with a different approach, so I kind of meandered through it. Layering photos, painting in and playing with the colours led me to this dark setting, which makes it look like an eerie night time scene. It also looks a bit like a fantasy setting, I suppose though, even though the photos included in this composite were taken in real places, the final result actually is fantasy.

One of the things I like about doing composites like these is the fact that I can include small details that are not necessarily seen at first glance, but if you look a little more, you can find some interesting things. For instance, can you see the cross in Blue?

I've got you thinking now, haven't I?