Photographer : Neil Overy

Neil is currently based in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. 
After completing a PhD in South African history and working as a full-time university researcher he decided a couple of years back to split his time between research and photography. His images are being used and seen all over the world – be it for a small local magazine or for a corporate advertising campaign.He tries to explore what is at first hidden within an image, rather than merely making a record of what is initially before him. Whether undertaking a commercial commission or merely shooting for pleasure it is the task of the photographer to see something in a unique and creative way, to offer a fresh and appealing perspective, which is what Neil does so well. 

I chose Neils work as an inspiration, as I wanted to incorporate still life photography into my project. I like the composition of his images and how he uses the lighting and colours in his photographs to capture the subject matter in a way which impacts and engages the viewer. 

My favourite image of Neils is the first one in the top left hand corner. The photograph is cleverly composed, as the red apple contrasts with the green apples, and it is placed in the centre of the image. Your eye goes straight to the red apple, then moves its way up the stalk, then to the green apples. This is because the depth of field makes the red apple the main focus.