“Nowhere can a man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.” – Marcus Aurelius
I consider myself a very social person, well, sort of. I like to socialize but in small doses. I am deep and passionate and don’t like small talk, what you see is what you get.
I have been asked so many times the question of whether I prefer to shoot alone or in the company of someone else. But first, let us define solitude. There is a big difference between being in solitude and being lonely. Loneliness is a negative state, it is a feeling that is characterized by a sense of isolation, while solitude is a state of being alone without feeling lonely, thus it is a positive state of engagement with oneself by choice. This brings us to an interesting paradox, when you spend time in solitude, you find that you are no longer alone. The fear of isolation you have suddenly dissolved, and you discover your innermost self. In contemplation, you can awaken your innermost soul and when this happens you come to know yourself as one with all.
Sometimes we say, we cannot hear ourselves think, life is too much for many of us, our lives are muffled with too much “static-noise”, and we often do not realize that we need to slow down. We are lucky though, we who discovered the art of long exposure photography can unconsciously slow time, at least in the four corners of the frame. As artists, we need life to happen, or our art would be lifeless, life feeds us and we interpret it in our work. I feel that society functions as a resistance, like going to the gym and training with weights, this contact with other people makes us stronger and our jobs do not serve just to fill the fridge but also helps us to build stamina. When we realize that we have had enough energy depletion, we seek refuge in solitude to recharge. We need this point of reference to stay on course.
During most of my photography endeavors, especially while shooting in Malta, the location would offer a limited number of subjects, and it wouldn’t be ideal to have a shooting buddy, I notice this situation to be very common, you will both end up with a ‘similar’ image.
In my work, I explore my feelings and try to express the silence and solitude I often crave for. I love the mysterious, it is intriguing and fascinating, the mood of my images reflects my inner thoughts and my character as a human being. That dark atmosphere that I strive to apply to the final edited image reflects the baggage I carry. I have no interest in depressing the viewer, not at all, the aim is to express my own desire for solitude and detach from reality. Like Nietzsche once said, “No artist tolerates reality”, and what I re-create would not be the same scene I was witnessing, but rather an interpretation of the original, almost like accessing a parallel universe just for myself to step in and experience.
Image 1 – ‘Afraid of Time’
I came across this concrete block while trekking along a rugged coast in a remote part of the island looking for a potential scene. This shoot was one of those in which I enjoyed some time all by myself. This concrete block was once part of a pier under construction, which for some reason or another was left unfinished, and it is forgotten in time.
Image 2 – ‘Mooring Cannons’
These two mooring cannons once were used by the Knights of St. John to defend the fortifications during the Great Siege of Malta around 1565 when the Ottoman Empire tried to conquer Malta. The remains of these cannons are scattered along the Maltese coast and are being used as moors. I’ve been this so many times in this area, but I never walked past the marina, to be quite honest I didn’t know this part of the coast was accessible. I noticed that when I get out alone, I scout the location better.
Image 3 – ‘Red Flag’
This was one of those photography outings without a clear plan, I just needed some time alone and walk along the beach. This beach is quite busy all year, in Summer it is crowded with swimmers and sunbathers, but in Winter’s early mornings, sports enthusiasts gather to train for The Grid. I noticed this red flag stuck in the sand and immediately caught my eye, it was windy, and I tried different exposures to get a semi-blurred image of the flag. The dark tones applied to the final image reflect the actual mood I was in at that moment.
Image 4 – ‘Slippery’
I love finding this type of ‘subjects’ along the coast. There are some things in life that come with a warning, it is to remind me that solitude is addictive, and once you slip in and become a habit, you realize that you don’t want to deal with people anymore.
Image 5 – ‘Samael’
A caved cliff face in the rugged part of Delimara, a very peaceful location I like to visit on Winter days ideal for my meditation sessions.
Image 6 – ‘Font Ghadir’
A study of the relation between the sea, the rocks, and long exposure.