Alison McCauley

[Dee]

I testify, Lori.

As always, I love hearing about your childhood. Brings a smile to my face on any day, picturing you as a little girl.

Childhoods are so fascinating. No matter where and in what time period, there are such strong commonalities we share and carry in our hearts for ever.

[Dee]

The "Anywhere but here" project in Alison's words:

"I began working on “anywhere but here” in 2008, and slowly over the years it became my main focus.

The images attempt to express the restless feeling that the place I’m in isn’t where I should be and that the next location will be better. As someone who has always moved around, I am very interested in the idea of belonging to a country or a community. This is a feeling that I’ve never had and, although I feel like I’m supposed to belong somewhere, I don’t want to. If I had this feeling of belonging, I wouldn’t have a reason to keep wondering about it. The geographical and temporal reference points in the photographs are blurred because the work isn’t about the location or time, but about a state-of-mind. There’s no real beginning and I don’t think there will be an end. The work comes from reality, but it’s a reality that’s distorted by subjectivity. It’s an expression of my state of mind during these restless off-moments."

Some images from this portfolio:












And of course our collective favourite:



http://www.amccauley.ch/albums/anywhere-but-here

[Dee]

The "On the grid" portfolio in Alison's words:

"I seek locations with a strong graphical component and a high viewpoint and wait for a figure or a few figures to punctuate the space. I feel that these locations, combined with the elevated viewpoint and the use of high contrast black and white, give my images a detached feeling that accentuates the anonymity, vulnerability and frequent isolation of humankind in an urban environment."


http://www.amccauley.ch/albums/on-the-grid

Some of my favourites from this portfolio:



Such clever composition with the mirror image.


I'd have loved to see this man walk. Reminded me of the 'Ministry of Silly Walks' sketch from Monty Python!


I love this one. It's like The Invasion Of The Giant Rabbits!



I know these pictures are supposed to be about the vulnerability of people but my overwhelming thought looking at this photograph is: How can a lamp post look so sad?


This is almost sinister. Those men should definitely not walk into that dark shadow stream.

[Moonchime]

Yes the mirror image one is clever isn't it? It took me a moment to realise that that's what it was. I think they're all more striking in in black and white although I don't think that is always the case. The man appearing to do the funny walk I find hard to look at 'cos of the geometric patterns - they do weird things with my head.
I think my favourites are the ones with shadows and I really like the one with the lamp post because it reminds me of a fuschia.

[Dee]

Yes! Like a fuchsia, indeed!

If you liked the shadows, you're gonna love the next instalment I'm planning to post here!

[Dee]

Images from the 'Shadow of Doubt' portfolio:

[Moonchime]

Yes I do like them and my favourite is the the woman in front of the parasols.
I also love the ones where you can see the shadow of someone or something not in the picture.