By Monty Trent
InJanuary2024,hereontheupperedgeofLeeds,theweatherwasbitterraw,freezingwetandwindy,cagingmeinmyshed,a convertedgarageseparatedfromthehousebyatinyquadrangle. confinedmyphotographytoseeinghowmanypicturesI couldmakefromwithinthattinybackyard,lookingin,out,upanddown.Gazingatastainedglassdoorpanel,agardenrake, illuminatedwindowsofthehouse,viewsalongtheadjacentroad,pigeonsontheroofandthescrolledhipstippingroofridges.
Then,inspiredbyDanSimmons’‘Hyperion’andtheInfiniteMonkeyCagepodcast,Iwasexhilaratedtodiscoverthatmy backyardwasaspaceportal,agatewaytothestars.Supernovas,redstarsstrutting,rampantf:Clefsdancingwiththepesky pigeonstomychortlingrakegigglingatShrödinger’scat(who,happily,isaliveandwellatTrentTowers)dancingtothemusicof theSpheres.
Sincestartingthisproject,Ihavemadehundredsofpictures.Thisisonlyasampletowhetmyappetiteforabookormaybean exhibition.I’llcarryonuntiltheitchabatesbutwithspringaroundthecornermaybeit’stimethistownmouseemergedintothe bigworld.
Fastenyourseatbelts, hopontotheNo29Routemasterrocket toCockfostersandVictoriaviatheRingsofSaturn
Justamerestepdownfrommyshedandbeyondourbackyard.
Cloisterwalk
Inacontemplativemood,Itakeawalkintothetiledcloister
IntowhichportalshallIgo?
Scrolledhipiron
Ourhomewasbuiltinthelate1930s,andIam fascinatedbytheornamentalironscrollsdecoratingthe endsoftheroofridgetiles.Theyremindmeofthemusic scoreF:Clefsymbol, seducingmealongthefollowing path...
F:Clef
TheFclef,orthebassclef,hasarichhistoryandsignificantmeaning inmusicnotation.Itsoriginsdatebacktomedievaltimeswhen musicalnotationwasevolving.Initially,clefsweresimpleletters placedatthebeginningofastafftoindicatethepitchofaparticular line.Overtime,asmusicbecamemorecomplex,theFclefemerged torepresentlowerpitches.
TheFclefsymbolresemblesastylisedletter"F"withtwodots surroundingthefourthlineofthestaff.Thisline,whenproperly notated,indicatesthepitchofFbelowmiddleC.Theplacementof theFclefonthestaffindicatesthatthenoteswrittenonorabovethe fourthlinecorrespondtolowerpitches,makingitespeciallysuitable forinstrumentswithlowerregisters,suchasthecello,bassoon,andbassguitar.
Beyonditspracticalutility,theFclefalsoholdssymbolicsignificancewithinthemusical community.Itrepresentsthedepthandrichnessoflowerregisters,evokingfeelingsofstability, strength,andgravityinmusicalcompositions.
Dark,growly,murkysoundsindeepbass.It'stimetoliberatethem,givethemabankholiday outingonthelighterside,andsingusanewsong.
TempleofPtah
Portalgate#13takesusbackwardsintime,heretotheTempleVault whereRadamèswascondemnedtobeinterredwithhisdearchum Aïda.
Weweepastheydieineachother’sarms.Idiscoveredhoweverthat theythensetupasuccessfulInteriorDesignstudioassistedbythe magicpropertiesoftheF:Clefsthattimetraveleverywhere.
ThisistheirbackdropforthelaterOpera,‘MagicFlutemeetsHarry Potter’.
Pesky pigeons
‘Tisawellknownfact thatmanyidiotsthink thelessthanhumble pigeonisadigital dronethatknows morethanisgoodfor us. Weknowbettertheyarefirmly controlledbythef: Clefswhoknow somethingthe pigeonsdon’t... afoxiscoming!
HiMontague
YourMilkyWaypackagewillbedeliveredtoday
Outfordelivery
Trackyourpackage
Two dozen f:clefs
Chortle
Ohhowtherakelaughed
toseesuchfun asthedishranawaywiththe spoon
Supernova waltz
Gliding around the dance floor at a quiet tea dance in the Red Star Waldorf then Pulsar arrived with his gang
Beyondmybackyard
Anoteabouttechnique
Thesephotosweremade,in-camera,withaCanonEOSR5.Theyweremultiple exposuresof1-9imageswithdifferentblendingmodes,whitebalanceandexposure compensation.TheR5blendedthemultipleexposuresintoaRAWcomposite. This wasthenpost-processedandre-compositedinLightroomandPhotoshop,making numerousadjustmentstotheRAWdata.
Thisisfartoocomplicatedtoexplainhere,butforanAlladin’scaveofinformation,I stronglyrecommendtheFYVFindYourVoicewebsiterunbyDougChinneryand VeldaBailey.Thiscontainsatonofinformationaboutthesetechniques.www.fyv.art
Thisismypreferredlandscapeformat.Afteraquartercenturyofshootinghackneyed landscapesubjects,Iwasboredandwantedamorecreativeandexpressive approach.
Anoteaboutme
‘You look like a lizard’, snapped the picaresque denizen of Washington Square New York City, ’Eyes swivelling left and right like you’re hunting bugs’.
IguessIhavealwaysbeenaphotographer.Onlyfor40yearsIdidn’tknowit.Inmy lateteensIwasfascinatedbutmarriage,familyandthepressureofbuildingmy professionalpracticeasalawyerblewoutthelightand,withit,myself-belief.
Since,in1998thecandlewasreignitedbyHowardColeatWestDeanwhotaughtme howtoseeasanartist,notatouristandIsetoutonmyjourney.
Thankyouforwalkingbymeforawhile...
www.montytrent.com