![]() ![]() |
Basia Bogacka |
Soul of Spittal Sandstone
Spittal Beach in Northumberland has unique sandstone with complex, warm coloured strata and varied shapes. It has been a subject of admiration and photography by many, myself included, for years. Yet, it is only now during this workshop that I discovered its real attraction for me. It is not just the physical appearance of the rocks. It is much more than that.
Looking at them, I have always imagined how they were created, what natural forces were involved in this art. It had to be a very dynamic process, but the process continues with the North Sea tide slowly shaping the rocks, forming little pools, valleys, and steep gorges. The whole scene changes every day with the sand forcefully pushed in and out by the tidal waves and wind. This place is alive. The sandstone has its soul.
ICM photography has helped me to discover this soul, to see more than is visible. It helped me to free myself from a conventional way of observing nature. It is like dancing a waltz, when everything is swirling around and the dancers later remember just an impression of the place, the soul of that moment.
Click or Tap Any of the Images on this Page to View Larger
![]() ![]() |
Dunes We know that sand dunes move with the wind, but stone dunes move, too, just the time scale is very different. |
![]() ![]() |
Desert This impression of the sandstone makes me feel I am in a desert and the wind plays joyfully around. |
![]() ![]() |
Sandstorm Strong wind often pushes sand onto the stones, not only covering but also shaping them. |
![]() ![]() |
Tidal Waves At high tide, the sandstone is often completely covered by water. Twice daily, waves are slowly sculpting the most amazing shapes in the stone. |
![]() ![]() |
Flames When I look at this impression of sandstone, I think about the power of natural forces. |
![]() ![]() |
Chaos Chaos in Nature is just in our minds. |
![]() ![]() |
Soul Can a stone have a soul? It can if it evokes ethereal |
Return to the ICMPhotoMag Beginnings Workshop Main Exhibition Page
Inspired by the Beginnings Workshops, Kaisa, Morag, and Stephanie are in the process of building a collaborative, continuous learning membership community, with a planned launch date of June 1st.
This new initiative will bring many of the features of the 5-week intensive workshops to a collaborative, continuous learning community...one which offers an ongoing, rolling, monthly workshop-style environment, with new themes, content, live sessions, guest photographers, and much more each month....all with the goal of helping you grow in your ICM photography and inspiring you to tap more deeply into your own creativity...in a supportive, encouraging, safe atmosphere that will help nurture your artistic vision.
If you are interested in signing up to receive updates about membership community pre-launch activities, as well as to be notified first when the membership community is ready to open its doors and go live, please visit the link below and click the red button to send us an email.