Given the title 'The Master of Reflections' by legendary street photographer Phil Penman, Emma F Wright reflects on the influence of water in her work
Armed with my iPhone, I am always looking for ways to take my photography to the next level. It is lightweight and always in my hand, which gives me the opportunity to capture images at a moment’s notice and share them online. The iPhone also allows you to enjoy the convenience of doing everything with one device, including shooting, editing and sharing to social media. However, I personally try to keep editing to a minimum as I want my images to be as close to reality as possible.
It was by the riverside where I rediscovered my passion for photography. One day, while walking a dog called Alfie for a friend, I took a photograph of him and sent it to her – and this became the first of many. As I started to notice my surroundings more, I began to photograph other subjects too.
(Image credit: Emma F Wright)
Growing up, I spent my summer holidays with my grandmother by the sea in Norway. She gave me an appreciation of nature. There I gained a love of being by water, which is why I think it appears in so many different forms in my photographs.
Water has been a great influence and I enjoy using it as a reflective surface in my photography. However, because the weather determines whether water is a viable part of the image, I have introduced other reflective surfaces into my work, whether that’s windows, cars, buildings or mirrors.
I decided to focus my attention on shooting in black and white as, in my opinion, this produces a classic image that’s clean, uncluttered and creates fewer distractions. It also allows you to focus on the subject matter, emotions, lines and forms, and light and shade.
(Image credit: Emma F Wright)
I am based in Nottingham, UK, and can usually be spotted crouching by puddles around the city, as they are what I predominantly use to capture my reflection shots. I have had many people walking by and giving me strange looks as they wonder what I am doing.
These days, as I have become better known, I get a few people asking me ‘Are you Emma Wright?’ However, on the odd occasion, I get people asking me if I’m okay. This one time, an elderly lady stopped and asked me whether I needed a hand-up... she thought I’d fallen over! Through my work, I’ve gained a large following on my Instagram account and it makes a wonderful creative community for getting feedback and exchanging ideas.
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Emma F Wright
Emma F Wright is a British photographer based in Nottingham and known for her captivating iPhone street and reflection photographs. Emma’s work mainly covers architecture and interactions between people and animals, and she credits a background in fine art for helping her find beauty in mundane subjects.
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