ConfluenceShayne Lynn.Ramya Reddy Olaf Willoughby {

A sense of freedom came from three photographers from three continents shooting the same five rolls of film. Linked only by our friendship and led by our instincts,we used multiple exposures on the same rolls of film as an experiment in synchronicity. Each roll was ex-posed at three times the standard ISO rating and passed from Shayne (Vermont, USA) to Olaf (London, UK) and final-ly to Ramya (Bangalore, India). Chance gave the images a fluidity and a sense of unplanned play. As humans we are programmed to try to make sense of our surroundings. Unexpected layered elements combine with unusual frames and borders to defy any obvious logic. We can assemble parts of a story but we can't complete the plot. A photographic koan. It is a process so pure and void of any unnecessary judgement. We let the journey take over, waiting to be amazed by the Universe. It puts us back in touch with the innocence of creating. The subconscious makes connections in the photograph-ic collage that we are not aware of. Our sensibilities guided us from picture to picture. Metaphors abound, as watery reflections become visual dreamscapes, words grafittied over grass and gravestones seem like private conversations from the other side. The subconscious inner worlds which govern us can be blended together to create a oneness which speaks to us all.

Olaf,Shayne & RamyaNovember 2011

Chance gives the images fluidity and a sense of play.

Unusual juxtapositions lead to layers of meaning

{ Olaf Willoughby } {

The series is a confluence of natural and manmade components. Symbols flow out of the images. {

Perhaps the ripples of water represent memory, perhaps

the process of creativity itself. { Olaf Willoughby } {

m e m o r y

that which eludes me

that which draws much

and that which taunts, loves and

plays my dreams of past whilst

moulding those brimming and yet to flow;

as I see through the filter of nostalgia,

torn by generous specks of dust and

light that is sometimes bright

and blinds me therefore but

delivers as promised into this

oyster that I call my own;

and there I find my sighted self basking

joyfully in the comfort of lightness and

a melancholy that guides this life’s path.

{ ramya reddy }

The results reveal a depth and

fluidity which could not be planned.

Metaphors abound, the beauty of

unknown consequences emerged, show-

ing the collective subconscious of

three photographers blended together

to create a oneness which speaks to

us individually.

{ Shayne Lynn }

We can assemble parts of the story but the plot remains intriguing.

Almos t a photographic koan ?

{ {{ Olaf Willoughby }

Landscape photography is a solitary experience. We challenged this. This is a collaborative project of three photographers, three separate distant locations on one piece of film. We pursued our own likes, instinctively capturing our minds attention, theorizing that our combined Pitta Prakriti would manifest on the film plane.

The main qualities of Pitta are oily, sharp, hot, light, spreading and liquid. Having a Pitta -predominant Prakriti means that these qualities express themselves generously throughout our mental, emotional and physi-cal make up. They are reflected in our strengths and weaknesses, the choices we make - what pictures to take.

The results reveal a depth and fluidity which could not be planned. Metaphors abound, the beauty of unknown con-sequences emerged, showing the collective subconscious of three photographers blended together to create a oneness which speaks to us individually.

{ Shayne Lynn }

Statements

Confluence; a flowing together, a gathering at one point, perfectly describes the spirit of this work. Shooting to a brief can be a great way to improve our ways of seeing but here we experimented with the exact opposite. Linked only by our friendship and led by our instincts, three photographers on different continents used multiple exposures on the same rolls of film as an experiment in synchronicity.

Chance gave the images a fluidity and a sense of play. Unusual juxtapositions led to layers of meaning. The Confluence series divides into two; Water - combining water with words, signs, buildings is particularly powerful. Symbols flow out of the images. Perhaps the water represents memory, perhaps the process of creativity itself.Nature - combining aspects of nature with various manmade objects produces endless surprises. A pendant appears suspend-ed in the universe, grasses in a zen painting conceal a mask and overflow into a forest. Borders aren’t limited to frames. Instead they are an integral part of the image.In all of these, there is space for the viewer to interpret the images in their own ways. They ask questions to which we can each provide our own answers.

How liberating it has been to take a totally different approach. To share in the creation of a body of work whilst releasing control of the outcome.

{ Olaf Willoughby }

It was like traveling to a new place, not knowing where to or how. The idea was to just go, travel freely and for-get where the roads went. What struck me most while I roamed around taking pictures for this project was that we forget to forget ourselves, let the journey take over and just flow waiting to be amazed by what the universe throws at us. It is a process so pure and void of any un-necessary judgement, which to me, is the very essence of this experiment that my friends Shayne, Olaf and I have adventured with.

How else would we know that many little things that hap-pen around us are so wonderfully serendipitous in nature and order.

The subconscious has ways of making connections that we are often not aware of (perhaps better not) and that, I believe is the reason for the synchronicity evident in thefinal results. These are just a few realisations and baby steps into a whole new world that is waiting to be explored and also put us back in touch with the inno-cence of creating.

{ Ramya Reddy }