3 minute read

Artist of the Month

from The Active Issue

by HerbologyNews

from The Active Issue, page 56

Looking Forward

Sheila Masson

www.sheilamasson.com

You may notice this month’s images carry something of an American flavour. That’s because Sheila Masson has worked as a photographer and picture editor in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Sheila’s photographs have been published in numerous books, newspapers, and magazines, including America 24-7, Life: The Year in Pictures, Vanity Fair, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent. Now based in Edinburgh and following an MLitt (History of Photography, University of St Andrews), Sheila works as a freelance photographer, independent photo historian, and collections care manager for the National Collection of Aerial Photography. She has also developed a research specialism in 19th century British tintypes.

Sheila writes:

The images selected for Herbology News were taken during my work as a photojournalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. It feels like another lifetime now, but back then my day-to-day reality was covering local and national news stories.

Living in the Bay Area offers you an undeniable connection to your own physicality and the natural world. In the summer months I could swim in bright, morning sunshine in one of the outdoor pools before arriving at the newspaper for work, and on assignment I could be found hiking through fields or running along roads to shoot breaking news items.

The photographs presented here show a variety of sports and physical accomplishments— from high school sports to local independent sports clubs, as well as individual, personal goals, such as swimming the length of Lake Tahoe. Although some of these pictures were taken inside, the Northern California climate allows and encourages a more connected experience to the landscape and the outdoors. As a photographer, the golden light and relatively consistent weather (the City of San Francisco’s famous fog not withstanding) created a stunning backdrop to my assignments; spending hours on the sidelines of baseball and football games or photographing in remote locations was rarely arduous.

In many ways there is a more focused attitude towards to sports and fitness in the USA, even from an early age. My personal American high school experience included three hours of swimming training five days a week, in comparison to the one or two hours of practice per week at my British school. These photographs reflect that environment; innumerable hours are dedicated to training and honing one’s skills, and for many high school students these physical exertions may help pave the way for their academic and financial futures, through college scholarships or preferred admission for athletes. For adults, as in many other countries, sports and physical training can be essential for better mental as well as general health, particularly in high stress environments and careers.

You can find more of Sheila’s work on her website, or follow her on social media:

Instagram: @sheilamasson and @britishtintypes