Charlotte Bird, Photography
| | Charlotte Bird | |
email: | | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
www: | | www.fairyphotographs.co.uk www.charlottebirdstudios.co.uk |
| | B Tec National diploma in Photography -- Passed with Seven distinctions Photography
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statement: | | My first recollections of photography were as a young child of about seven. My Uncle was a professional portrait photographer during the 50s and 60s, together with a partner they made up the duo ‘Medley and Bird’. Later Bob became well known as a press photographer. My own father also had a keen interest in photography, he set up a make shift darkroom in the cellar of our house. We put a red bucket over the light to act as a safe light. I can remember being mesmerised when the image appeared in the developer. Years later after bringing up a family I attended the local college where I studied ‘A’ Level and then a diploma in photography, qualifying with seven distinctions. Inspired by the work of the painters and photographers of the mid Victorian era, I developed a style that has been described by some as ‘Pre–Raphaelite’ in it’s nature. Like the Victorians I have a romantic vision, fairies, secret gardens, period landscapes and characters that may well have presented themselves in the literature of the day. After finishing college I embarked on a business link course with the intention of becoming a professional portrait and wedding photographer, (which thankfully I now am). About the Cottingley series: Charlotte Bird revisited the beck at Cottingley in West Yorkshire, England nearly a century after the two cousins Elsie Wright and Francis Griffiths found and photographed (allegedly) fairies at the bottom of their garden............charlottes stunning fairy photographs evoke imagery of the Edwardian and Victorian era, they touch the heart with their playfulness and innocence. Set against a backdrop of enchanting woodlands and streams, Cottingley beck has once again been brought to life by the spirit of the Fae... This recent fairy work reiterates (with modern facilities) the early photographic fakery caught on camera by the cousins in 1917. Though some of these photographs are said to be genuine others fooled the experts with their realistic, dancing fairies, taken at the beck and in Cottingley woods, literally at the bottom of their garden. Charlotte made the trip there in October 2005 and photographed the backdrops for her new series called ‘Tales from Cottingley’. Charlotte believes she saw a fairy while photographing at the beck, but at first mistook it for a butterfly, yet it was too large for a butterfly and too small for a bird and it had filmy wings. It hovered above for a while before fluttering off into the trees. Totally mesmerised she was too late to take a photograph. She says, …” The place definitely had a mystical feel to it.” Charlotte ’s fairies were added later and another photo shoot was carried out in local woods and gardens. Once the photographic work was complete the next artwork begins in photoshop, were backgrounds and subjects are merged. Each finished picture could be made up from several photographs, and include small detail shots, as in lanterns, toadstools, story books ect. The wings are taken from photographs of insects and butterflies and birds and many hours are spent before the finished picture emerges in all its glory. |
news: | | New work currently underway on various themes
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exhibitions: | | Past exhibitions Texas usa Lady lever art gallery Brimstage Gallery Willianson Art Gallery The Turrett - Charlotte Bird Gallery Carr Farm Studio Gallery
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gallery | |
all images are copyright the artist unless otherwise stated | |
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'Millennium Eve' | 'A Mid Summer Nights Dream' |
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'Song To The Fleeting Moon' | 'The Fairy Ring' |
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'First Love' | |
