2022 in Photographs

Every January, I put up a post of my favourite photos from the past 12 months.

In contrast to most social media selections, these are not about the number of likes, comments or shares. Instead these are the photos I was most pleased with. It might be because I felt the shoot or editing moved my photography forward a notch, or it might just be that it was a lot of fun to create.

Either way, I've often found that the response to my images on social media is quite often at odds with my own. Photos I thought were OK but nothing special can end up with a big response, while those I am immensely proud of can often produce reactions that are little more than tumbleweeds rolling past.

So if my last post (see Less surprised, but still faintly disappointed...) was my bemusement at how a casual selfie can vastly out perform a carefully crafted creation, this one is the complete self-indulgence of me showing off what I consider to be my best photos of the year, to anyone who cares to view (even if it is only me in future years looking back to see what I used to think was good).

You'll find a varied selection of photos below, so hopefully there's something for everyone.

I'm always interested in feedback, so if you'd care to leave a comment about which one(s) are your favourite, or any personal observations, it would be warmly appreciated.

If you're curious as to how my photography has progressed since I began back in 2009, then you can find earlier years' selections here: 2021, 2020, Decade Review, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009

Wave Blues Band

Bands are nearly always the best kind of people to do narrative photography shoots with. Musicians are creatives, and also performers, so narrative photography is always a good excuse to think bigger, or go off on interesting tangents - create something a bit more cinematic - something that looks like it could be part of a larger story. So instead of going for a shoot where it looked like they were playing live, we developed the idea that in a smoke filled room, 2 people could be playing cards while the rest of the band were setting up around them.

If you'd like to read more about the shoot (and see some of the individual band member photos), then you can read my blog post here:https://kimayres.blogspot.com/2022/01/photographing-wave-blues-band.html

Or if you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into more detail about it, then you can find it here:
https://youtu.be/edLEIbrStz0

A Day in the Life of Kirkcudbright Galleries

I was commissioned by Kirkcudbright Galleries to do "A Day in the Life" of the building. Light was low, and I didn't want to be blinding visitors with flashes going off all day, so I decided to make a feature of slow shutter speeds and "smudging time"

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/Tjea_XrVB0g

Storyteller, Renita Boyle

With 2022 being Scotland's "Year of Stories", I was asked by Dumfries & Galloway Life Magazine to photograph local children's author and storyteller, Renita Boyle, who I've known for many years and is always up for a fun photo shoot. Despite the look of the dark, mysterious forest, it was in fact a sunny day and I had to play around with lighting and exposure settings to get the mood I wanted. I then played around with the editing so the trees blurred up out of the image to give it an otherworldly feel.

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/OLhKJ1KxoYM

The Artist

My wife, artist Maggie Ayres, was needing a headshot - and I did get one of her smiling and in colour - but during the shoot I also captured this one of her which was far more authentic in reflecting the way she was feeling on that day, with all that was weighing on her mind. She found it as captivating as I did and doesn't mind me showing it here.

The Ultimate Selfie

As the open studio event, Spring Fling, was starting to loom, for the first time in 3 years I was going to be putting up work for the public to view in the flesh rather than online. At the same time, the commissioning editor of Dumfries & Galloway Life Magazine was talking to me about doing a feature on photography as a storytelling medium. I realised I didn't have that many narrative photos to display so it was time to get creative.

I'd been toying with the idea of doing a multiple selfie for some time, so this was the excuse to go for it. In the end I managed to squeeze 10 of me into the one shot (bonus points if you can spot the 10th one)

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/ctQ35dJD3Yc

My Father

Visiting my 85 year old father, I wanted to get a photo of him, but it was a dull wet day and not much light indoors. So I got him to sit in the doorway, while I stood outside, under an umbrella.

Car Stories

One of my favourite shoots of the year was a collaboration with Circle Vintage, a clothes store specialising in original clothing from the 60s to the 90s. A previous client of mine allowed us to use his Citroen DS for the shoot, and Eva and Emily were our wonderful models. I wanted the photos to have a cinematic feel to them, which is reflected in the lighting and cropping style I used.

Balancing the light for this one was particularly delicate, because if the inside light was too strong, then you wouldn't see the cherry blossom reflections in the window, and if it wasn't strong enough, then you wouldn't see the wonderful expression by Eva.

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/aMCX-E9Y32w

You can also find more of the photos in my "Collaborations with Circle Vintage" album in my Flickr account.

Bath Stories

"Have you seen Fiona's bathroom?" asked Marie of Circle Vintage. "She's got one of those baths that's in the middle of the floor, and she says she's OK with us using it for a photo shoot if we want." And so began another collaboration, this time with models Chelsie, who she was going to be put in a white lace dress, and Joe, who was to be dressed in a glittery gold outfit, looking like a 70s sci-fi show spaceman (complete with a crash helmet sprayed gold and silver).

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/Wl54QBo6YtQ

You can also find more of the photos in my "Collaborations with Circle Vintage" album in my Flickr account.

June Nelson

Photographing 86 year old author, June Nelson, was an assignment from D&G Life magazine. She was wonderful company and I was delighted to capture this photo of her.

Morag MacPherson Textiles

In my 4th collaboration over the years with textile designer, Morag Macpherson, this time we ventured into the woods with model, Anna. The lighting conditions with shafts of strong sunlight and deep shadows tested my light balancing skills to the limit, but we did end up with a set of photos we were both pleased with.

You can find more of the photos in my "Collaborations with Morag Macpherson" album in my Flickr account.

Bippity - Performance Collective Stranraer

Moving in a completely different direction to my staged, narrative photography, I was asked to photograph Performance Collective Stranraer doing improvised live street theatre. With no control over the subjects, the lighting or the background, I had to watch really closely, tune in as best I could, and begin to anticipate their movements. It was a fun challenge.

During a break though, I made couldn't resist getting some portraits. I still find photographing faces close up completely irresistible.

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/j_duGEK4EyQ

Generations of the Ayres Family

Back in the summer on one of the hottest days of the heatwave, my niece, Holly, got married and asked everyone to wear something colourful - not a straightforward request considering at least half of us are most comfortable wearing black, or at least very dark colours, most of the time. 

However, it's a long time since we had this many of the Ayres family together, so I handed my camera to the wedding photographer and asked him to get a shot of us. With the exception of my son, Rogan, and my sister's other daughter, Kesha, who weren't able to make it, this is the most complete photo we have of my father with his direct descendants.
(Left to right: Callum (my brother's son), Holly (my sister's daughter), Charlotte (my brother's daughter), Coralie (my sister), Meg (my daughter), me, Donald (my Dad), Myke (my brother)

The Galloway Players

Rebecca and Iain are amazing musicians. They met a couple of years ago and formed The Galloway Players. I also did a set of photos against a white background with a 2 light set-up, but when I tried a single softbox set-up against a dark background, the whole thing became very painterly, and I was really pleased with the images.

This was also the first real set of photos I did with my new Canon R5, where I finally felt I was working with the camera, rather than wrestling against it. Whenever I get a new camera, the quality of my photography falls off for a month or so while I work out how to customise the settings and create a new muscle-memory for where everything is. And I was delighted to realise there is a quality to these images that I wouldn't have been quite able to achieve with my previous camera.

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/-agTnV7MmsU  

Rock for ReDress

In 2021, Circle Vintage launched the Dumfries Slow Fashion Movement with a fashion show at the Theatre Royal, featuring upcycled, recycled, vintage and eco-friendly clothing. In Autumn 2022 it shifted up a level when they moved to Loreburn Hall, which allowed them to have a full length catwalk, and a VIP lounge for sponsors. The lighting on the catwalk was very low, and a couple of other photographers gave up with their cameras and reverted to their phones to try and get some shots.

Initially I didn't think I had any hope of getting some decent images, however the new camera had much further limits to be pushed to than my old one, and I was delighted to end up with a batch of photos that were good enough to be printed in D&G Life magazine.

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about the low-light, catwalk part of this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/d1QKo25Zlhw

In The Alcove

Strongly suspecting in advance that the low light of the catwalk could be problematic, I set up a mini-studio with a single light in a small alcove in the VIP lounge to try and get some interesting fashion shots with some of the models. I deliberately used a wide-angle lens pushed to its maximum - not only to fit them in, but to create an off-kilter, slightly unsettling feel to the photos. You might recognise Chelsie from the bath shoot in the first one, along with Joe from the bath shoot and Eva from the car shoot in the second.

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this part of the fashion shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/SEaJUv7Sr4M

You can also find more of the photos (including the ones from the 2021 fashion shoot) in my "Collaborations with Circle Vintage" album in my Flickr account.

Emergency Pottery Photography

My potter friends Doug and Hannah - Fitch & McAndrew - found themselves in need of some emergency photography when their usual product photographer wasn't available, and they had a set of creations they needed images of for their annual autumn online exhibition. This was quite new to me and it took a wee while to get a set up I was happy with.

In the end they were delighted with the photos but later, when I later looked at the way their usual photographer does it, I realised my images were shot in a way that were more like portrait than product photos

If you'd like to watch the podcast where I go into detail about this shoot, then follow this link: https://youtu.be/hCxVokMTdZU

The Firelight Trio

I've photographed Ruth and Gavin as part of Bellevue Rendezvous, Journeyman, and Whirligig. This time, however, they have teamed up with accordionist, Phil, to form the Firelight Trio, who will be officially launching their new album at Celtic Connections later in January. However, I'm feeling smug about the fact I already have a copy of their wonderful CD, which they gave me at the photo shoot.

The Curious Case of the Red Hat and the Half-Eaten Mince Pie...

Several times over the years I've attempted to do a Christmas-themed self-portrait where I wanted to create a Scrooge-like character who was annoyed by the event. I've never successfully managed it. Instead I have several folders of photos which never quite worked.

This year I had the idea of approaching it more like a detective story. What if someone didn't know about Christmas and came across a red hat and a half-eaten mince pie? This time it felt like I'd finally succeeded in creating the photo I set out to make.

Anarchy

This is a bonus shot from another collaboration with Circle Vintage, but the photos have yet to be released (one or two may well appear in next year's "Best of 2023" blog post). Although most of the photos are fashion shots, I couldn't resist doing a quick set of portraits of Eva (from the car and alcove shoots above). We were in an old warehouse building - part of the same complex I did the "Peaky Blinders" themed shoot a few years back. I added the anarchy graffiti afterwards in the editing, as I felt it really intensified the mood of the image.

As of this moment (and of course it could change in anything from a few minutes to a few months), this is quite possibly one of my all time favourite photos, although judging by the response on social media and photography sites, few other people see it in the same way I do...

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I hope you've enjoyed my selection - please leave a comment below with any thoughts or observations, and let me know your favourite(s)!

Wishing each and every one of you a less stressed 2023.