Capturing the Essence: A Photography Project Focused on a Single Subject

BACKGROUND

I live close to a large suburban parkland which is home to a beautifully restored 18th century house. The house, which was originally a 17th century house called 'The Grange', was purchased in 1764 by David La Touche, a French Huguenot and first governor of the then newly established Bank of Ireland.

La Touche refurbished and extended the house and renamed it Marlay House after his wife Elizabeth Marlay. After changing hands numerous times, the house and demesne was finally donated to Dublin County Council in 1972 and designated a People's Park.

Marlay house is a central feature of the 300 acre recreational park which is now one of the most important outdoor music venues in Ireland, with well known Irish and international artists appearing here every summer.

Due to its proximity to my home, Marlay Park has provided me with countless photographic opportunities over recent years. It's my favourite spot for woodland photography, offering a wealth of subjects for nature and macro shots. Additionally, its weekend market, numerous cultural events, and popularity among walkers and casual gatherings present great opportunities for people-watching and candid photography.

THE PROJECT

Last year I started a project specifically focusing on Marlay house, which has become an on-going project providing interest, inspiration and focus for my photography.

Concentrating on a single subject turns it into a straightforward project, enabling me to practice my photography skills and experiment with various camera settings and lenses, while keeping a clear focus and having a final goal in mind.

Being close to my home allows me to work on the project at times that suit me best and when the lighting and weather conditions are ideal.

Initially, I set myself some parameters:

• I would complete the project within a year

• I would incorporate photos from each season, captured at various times of day and under different lighting conditions

• I would experiment with a range of focal lengths and shoot from various angles and perspectives

• To conclude, I would print some of my photos, either as wall prints or in a photo book, and showcase a selection as a slideshow on my website.

  
  

THE METHODOLOGY

Every time I visited the location, I evaluated the lighting conditions, considered the lenses I had, and determined if there were chances to capture new and unique images of my subject.

On returning home, I edited the images I considered worth keeping and stored them in a specific 'Marlay House Project' folder. I now possess a substantial collection of images that I will eventually evaluate for their printing potential.

Here is a brief collection of the images I have captured to date.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope that by outlining the steps in this simple project, I've inspired you to start one of your own. Beginning with a project centred on an easily accessible topic allows you to use different photography techniques and keeps things engaging and diverse.

Why not consider undertaking a project like this yourself?

You might like to read my previous post, Key Considerations for Launching a Photography Project