Creative Advisor
Ghail Binneman
Ghail Binneman is drawn to the extraordinary within the everyday, finding beauty where others might pass by and capturing moments in time that can never be relived, images that carry her back to the feelings she experienced in the instant she made them. Her journey began with landscape photography, but the smaller details within the bigger picture drew her towards macro work, and Martin Osner's Fine Art Photography courses opened an entirely new world to her and set her creativity on a different path. She is inspired by the Impressionists, particularly Monet, and by the extraordinary detail of Degas, and her favourite technique is encaustic wax, which she loves for its ability to build texture and transform an ordinary photograph into something that invites the viewer to look again and look more closely. It has been a journey of growing confidence, experimentation and genuine artistic discovery, one she continues to pursue with curiosity and a willingness to be surprised.
Showcase
Seven pieces, and what is behind them
Click on the artwork to see it larger, and read Ghail’s own description of each piece.
Work 01
Suspended in Time
It was like an Armageddon moment when we came around the corner and saw the Brooklyn Bridge vanishing into a thick, dark cloud. Moody moments like these are mysterious and magical, not predictable and obvious.
Work 02
Park Strolling
January 2020, New York City was shrouded in a thick winter mist, low hanging cloud and an occasional drizzle.
Work 03
Coming or Going?
A moody encaustic of a person walking through an archway. Sugar was added to the encaustic piece and then burnt.
Work 04
Serenity
A lovely early spring day. Reflections on the water. Utter peace except for the birds twittering in the background. A hand embellished piece, rephotographed over the original.
Work 05
Weather to Surf or Not
One of my first experiences using the Pinhole technique. On the beach, mist rolling in, unable to see a couple of feet ahead and then this guy appeared with his surf board, almost dejectedly, on his shoulder. I guess he had given up.
Work 06
Eye See You
Nitro transfer. A technique that can be used to transform something quite boring into something mystical.
Work 07
Misty Mornings
There's this belief that you need bright sunshine to take photos. I prefer overcast, rainy, moody days because they immediately bring emotion to the picture. This hand painting took me back to that misty, rainy morning and dodging puddles of water. There was a sense of eeriness as we meandered along the river.
In her own words
How Ghail got here
I am drawn to extra-ordinary scenes in everyday life and do not consider myself a conformist. I see beauty where someone else may not. I love how light dances and reflects off objects, whether architectural, nature or everyday life. I capture moments in time, moments that one cannot relive. My pictures transport me back to the moment I captured them, and I can once again immerse myself in the feelings I experienced at the time. I invite you to come back with me to that moment in my life and encourage you to create your own. After all, what is life if you cannot dream, fantasise and reminisce?
I started off wanting to be a landscape photographer. Then, the more I became immersed in my photographic journey, the more I found myself focusing on the smaller things in the bigger picture. I got hooked on macro photography.
After a while things began to look the same and I was becoming bored with my photography.
I decided to sign upl in Martin Osner's Fine Art Photography Course. This was back in the day when Martin offered the courses in-house.
The week spent in Hout Bay was the start of a whole new world and adventure for me.
My self-confidence was lacking at this initial workshop as I am not able to draw a stick insect and I felt very overwhelmed and inexperienced trying to "master" different fine art techniques.
I recall saying how I was enjoying colouring in my photograph when Martin had to constantly remind me that I was hand-painting and embellishing my work.
However, the more I delved into the fine art photography world the more creative I became.
I am drawn to the work of the Impressionists, particularly Claude Monet. I could stare for hours at the sculptures created by Degas. The detail that has gone into that work is incredible.
The encaustic technique is my favourite. Working with the wax can create all sorts of different textures and bring a totally different perspective to the art work.
The other techniques (except for surrealism) are fun too. It is rewarding to see your ordinary photograph transform into something that makes people think about what they are looking at.
It is great to experiment with the different techniques and to see what works and what doesn't work.
This has been an incredible journey, I have gained confidence in my artistic self, although I am still my harshest critic.
The path she took
She finished the Masterclass
Ghail completed every workshop in the programme. It begins with Getting Started in Art Photography, which is where all of this starts.
Look at Getting StartedThe others
Eighteen more artists
Every creative advisor came the same way, and each one has a page of their own with the work they make now.
See all the creative advisorsGhail’s creative journey began with just one course
Every artist on these pages started at the same place, unsure whether any of it would come to anything. Getting Started in Art Photography is where that begins.
Begin your journey in fine art photography