Research on Nature - Andy Small

Andy Small



Andy is a fine art nature photographer and has studied fine art so spent alot of time painting and drawing which is said to have influenced his style of photography. He tends to mainly photograph close up portraits of nature and has become well known for his graphic style and use of bright colours.

Andy uses a Nikon digital camera with Zeiss lenses and alot of the effects for his images are created in a studio with backgrounds and natural lighting but he has also shot images outdoors.

"The natural world is my lifelong passion and provides inspiration for my drawing, painting and photography. Whilst I appreciate those breathtaking views, it is nature on an intimate level that I find most fascinating.
The macro lens is like a window that transports me into another world. In this place I observe details, shapes and patterns that are not usually seen even though most of the subjects are right under our noses." Andy Small

Below are some of my favourite images taken by Andy:

I love the detail shown in this image of the Lily and the use of colour makes it stand out. The natural light used highlights the tip of the flowers petals and I really like the soft lines. The blurry edges of the petals towards the back make it really interesting and makes the pollen the main focal point.

I like the patterns and symmetry in this image and I like that it is really simple and bright and colourful.

The shape and texture of this image makes it really effective and I like how the light reflects off the sharp points on the flower.

The patterns and lines here are really nice and I like how the individual leaves pan out and curve towards the centre of the image. The overlapping of the leaves gives it alot of depth.

I like that the background is blurry in this image as this makes the flower stand out even more and the focus is on the flower. I like the angle of the flower and the way it leans in to the centre.

This image has a really simple composition and I like the bright white colour of the daisy and the yellow stands out. The hints of natural light on the flower is really nice and gives it some life.

The shadows created by the sunlight is really beautiful in this photograph and I like the depth of field. Your eyes are drawn towards the back of the image through the woods and the colour of the bluebells is shown off really well.

The light is more towards the back of the image here with the bluebells still standing out. Even though the bluebells are the main subject in the photograph your eyes firstly go to the bark on the floor. I like the way this bark sweeps across the image and I like the shape and angles.

This image makes you want to follow the path and explore what is beyond. I like the way the path winds towards the end and the way the two trees frame the pathway.

The best part about this image is the use of sunlight and the shadows created by the sunlight filtering through the trees and the colour of the bluebells.

I really like Andy's style of photography and it is quite modern. The use of colour is brilliant and really makes the images stand out from the crowd, most of all I love the simple compositions of the close up shots.