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Periodically Shirli packs her overland vehicle and heads out to some wild destination to capture and build a library of images for her 'fine-art' portfolio. Staying up to three weeks in some areas with her cameras and her toes deep in the sand; her sabbatical is precious, and her adventures are part of the experience.
The images are personal and push the boundaries of convention. Fine-art is concept photography with the focus on wildlife, landscapes and tribal imagery that conveys the feeling of Africa's character seen through Shirli's eyes and lens. Sun-bleached bones lying on the dunes or storm clouds about to break over the savannah tell a story which is intrinsically African and a tribute to that area or creature.
*Please view the fine art galleries on the dropdown menu or the image links below.
"Black & white, and duo-tone images
selected and layered with a focal point of photographed gold-leaf; I wanted something a little different that brings out a feature distinctive of the subject, a smudge of gold to enhance the image."
"These are stories in landscapes
inherent to the feature, experimenting with layers and tones to give a narrative of
that environment. A celebration of Africa - capturing the harsh as well as the gentle."
"Black & white photography is the essence of dramatic lighting in photography, with the colour sucked out of an image; there is nothing to detract. Whether sharp or a blurred moment caught by the lens, the story is of contrasts, light and dark."
"Africa's palette is warm, earthy, gold and vibrant siennas dancing in the dust of the filtered sun. The elephants toss the powered sand like glitter in the air or the glow of skin humid by the promise of rain; I celebrate the majesty that is Africa."
"We emulate the perfect design of nature, where there is a purpose for everything and nothing wasted. The stripes of a zebra providing en mass confusion for predators and the timeline textures of a sycamore tree trunk chronicling its life.”
"I am passionate and excited by the limitless possibilities of what I can push in photography. Coming across bones or horns of some fallen creature, I cannot help wonder what that story was? How did their life come to an end?
"This is where I can play with my images, experienting with the contrasts and layers, overlaying filters or merging one image into another. Photoshop is a fantastic tool if you know how to use it properly, it opens a world of creativity. Images become a canvas and a magical story of the world I love."