Tideland by David Batchelder, Schilt Publishing, £50, paperback, 256 pages, ISBN 978-9-05330-856-1
FOR five years David Batchelder trod the soft sand of the beaches in the tidal regions of the Isle of Palms, South Carolina, USA. As he began to study the ephemeral patterns and pigments through his camera's viewfinder, he discovered a world that was unique to the moment. Moving your way through the distinctive images in Tideland feels like being presented with a book of Rorschach ink-blot tests and being asked to say what you see.
As with those tests, there is no right or wrong answer. Each abstract image holds something entirely personal to the viewer. David Campany's introductory essay is particularly enlightening, and it's worth viewing the images, reading the essay and then going back to…