As a polemical statement about designated spaces for recreation, it states the issues in a pictorial way, denoting a canoeist, crowds of people, and an empty space. This a composite time-lapse image where everyone (in the picture) is there, but not at the same time. Each image has its own distinctive subject and object, but the techniques have obvious commonalities while demonstrating separate properties. The three pictures I will look at are - a) A Canal Scene, b) Twitchers, and c) Dolphin Watchers. This involved recreational studies as a research support activity.īefore analysing the subjects, I should say that in spite of my comments at the time about ' not getting swamped by too much theoretical analysis' I feel justified, after a decade, to use a modicum of critical analysis to see if that original statement was appropriate. Early in my career I worked as a teacher of communication techniques in town and country planning. My metier is image making, but I also have had experience in the field of recreation and tourism studies. If the object of an activity is to get away from it all then I want the essence of that to be conveyed as directly as possible. I, on the other hand, am more interested in how the depiction of leisure can convey qualities that might get swamped in too much theoretical analysis.

The scholarly dissertations on the taxonomy of leisure tend to focus on the psychological and physical effects of recreation, using their findings to derive socio-economic conclusions as well as discerning the impacts upon our individual or collective well-being. Some people work hard at leisure while others take it where and when they can find it in a relaxed way. Whether taking a nap, going for a walk, canoeing, treasure hunting, or twitching our use of spare time can not only have varying degrees of intensity, but also the notion of time gained or time lost. My subject is about the discourse of leisure the particular patterns and specific looks that separate things which must be done to earn a living from those where this is not the prime necessity. The spectrum of recreation is as wide as the world of work, and often they are interchangeable. This can be active or passive: relaxing or pursuing an activity that can be more taxing than employment. The pictures are about time spent not working. I will look at each picture, and compare some of the original intentions with what they might mean now. Three monochrome photographs were shown, which I would now like to revisit in order to see if after ten years, their messages have stood the test of time. The original text was brief, but implied far more than the journal's space allowed. I am a member of Scottish Photographers, and published in their journal (Autumn 2012) a short contribution about Recreation and Leisure.

Photoartist 2