Meet Martha Retallick
Rhymes with “Metallic”
Although many people ask which Eastern European country my family came from, the Retallicks hail from County Cornwall. That’s at the southwestern tip of Great Britain.
What does my name mean? Like many Cornish names, it describes a place. Retallick is derived from “res-talek,” which translates into English as “ford across a stream at the base of a short, steep slope.”
So, call me Martha Stream Crossing. And don’t slip on that slope!
Life-changing Discovery
While I was in high school, I made a discovery that would change my artistic life. Simply put, I just wasn’t good at drawing or painting. Sculpture? Forget it. Ceramics? Meh. Printmaking? Nope.
Photography? Well, that was a different story. I felt like I was born to do it. In photography class, I was introduced to professional-grade cameras. What a difference! Through the viewfinder, I could see what the lens was focused on – and my skills took a giant leap forward.
Since high school, my photographic journey has taken me on bicycle adventures through all 50 states, Tucson events that range from weddings to car shows, and my own back yard.
Stylistic Versatility
So, how would I describe my photographic style? When I’m photographing people, I prefer to get shots of them in action, rather than having them pose for a portrait. I especially enjoy combining the mix of raw physical labor and artistry of humans and machines in motion. Just call it storytelling in pictures.
With nature, I aim for surprise and delight, like a bird nesting on an electric panel box or a ripening fig surrounded by brilliant autumn leaves.
More Sites to See
This site provides an overview of my work as a writer, photographer, and consultant. But, as the late-night infomercials say, that’s not all. There are two more stops on the Digital Martha Tour:
- Bicycle Stock Images, the site that loves to go for a ride
- Tucson Event Photography, featuring my images of local happenings