DEGAS REVISITED

CHERYL NANCARROW

// As an enthusiastic photographer gaining awards nationally and internationally, Cheryl´s journey into creative photography has evolved over the last few years. She creates artistic original images using intentional camera movement and multiple exposures in-camera, often combining images and textures. From this set of beautiful photographs we get the feeling of some of Degas´ dancer photos.

Cheryl is excited to be working in this genre of creative photography. Cheryl has travelled extensively (pre Covid) to many countries capturing photos of people and places. Now combing this with creative photography has given a new meaning to her photography. She has been a featured artist in the International ICM Photography Magazine, showcasing her ICM images from a journey to India.

“These images have given me much satisfaction and joy to create unique art photos, and given me a new lease on life. I’ve just finished my first gallery exhibition in Brisbane of my creative photos, which was a huge accomplishment. I’ve had my images published in an international ICM Magazine. All this was unthinkable 10 years ago. What a fantastic hobby is photography!” she says.

“Art is for everyone – art opens your mind, soul & emotions.”

Cheryl Nancarrow

What draws you to the arts?

“I’ve been attending theatre performances for over 40 years & every performance and performer always thrill & inspire me.”

What do you like best about artistic photography such as the images of dancers that you have shared with us?

“I like to portray a subject in a ‘one of a kind’, artistic form through camera movements. These images can’t ever be duplicated, as every movement and speed of camera is unique. Photographic art is a growing genre of photography.”

Cheryl took these photos at a dance rehearsal for a club preparing for an Eisteddfod Dance Competition at the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Each routine allowed a 3 minute performance either as single or in a double dance routine. “I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to photograph young women in dance rehearsals. My creative slow shutter with camera movement & multiple exposures gives my photography a unique artistic result. It’s using in-camera movements to create ‘camera brush strokes’ – true photographic art.”

Degas was especially interested in the subject of the dance, so a large share of his works depict dancers. In these paintings he showed his mastery in the depiction of movement. He essentially painted the type of motion blur photographers now achieve by slow shutter-speeds or intentional camera movement. Cheryl´s photos are a marvelous example of the painterly effect that she achieves through various techniques.

Click on the photos to see a larger image. Some images may be cropped for layout.