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Warren Clarke: Bali

Image Copyright © Warren Clarke - All Rights Reserved
I usually don't post about photography collectives, but I'll make an exception in Oculi's case because of Warren Clarke. Warren is a co-founder of the Australian collective, and is known for his wonderful photographs of Bali and its festivals, as well as for his commercial photography.

However, let me first tackle Oculi's background. In 2001, nine award-winning photojournalists, united by their commitment to documentary-storytelling, formed Oculi.com.au. The collective's website asserts that its "members'central conviction is to reveal the beauty, wonder and struggle of everyday life without contrived photo-shoots or art-directed aesthetics, just honesty with their subjects and an unflinching gaze".

Oculi's website is well worth exploring in its entirety but as I am about to lead a photo expedition to Bali next month, I spent some time admiring Warren's photo essays in Indonesia, especially the one on Ngteng Linggih (similar to a beatification of a temple). You'll find it on the second page of his gallery.

I chose the above photograph from this series. How many times have I struggled to find a 'new' angle when I photograph people, and yet I have not thought of composing a portrait such as this one...just the upper face of the Balinese dancer, with a blurry full figure of another dancer behind her. The only bit that bothers me is the white 'blob thing' on the left of her face...but no matter, I really like this photograph.

So readers of TTP and my newsletters, brace yourself...I will return from Bali with quite a lot of photographs inspired by Warren's work.

In the meantime, here Oculi's website, and Warren's gallery.