Helen Solmes

Bio:

Photography has been both a tool on the job as a journalist and as a communications officer and at the same time a hobby that verges on being a passion. I have been told that I am very deliberate when it comes to photography. Guilty as charged! Yet, in the 30-odd years since first discovering the magic of photography, the most memorable experiences have been serendipitous. I discovered the magic of astrophotography on an historical lighthouse island in Lake Superior. I first discovered the stunning spectrum of colours of the sun in a slot canyon in Arizona. I have photographed at 3,000 feet underground in a potash mine and in fall arrest 325 feet up in a headframe. Recently, I learned to read tidal charts in the Bay of Fundy and struggled to do justice to South Carolina cypress swamps.

I love photography. I love the journey it takes me on.

Below are some examples of my work. Click on the image to see the full image:

I am inspired by:

At the moment, the artists who inspire me are Eyvind Earle and Jan Peter Vos. Both artists work with dark saturated colours in a style that I definitely want to try to emulate using my images and the editing tools that are within my grasp.

Favourite adjective:

Great! A simple word that conveys approval without getting verbose.

The purpose of art:

To expand our otherwise mundane human experience.