Horace loved to be ´ín carnival ´but more as an observer rather than a participant. As a filmmaker and photographer his joy was studying people and cultures . And his work reflected this. He loved the big bands and pretty mas but was fascinated by ole mas, traditional characters, jab jabs and devils. And he did not focus on the obvious – rather some obscure character or small detail outside the mainstream. He always had a camera with him – capturing a unique moment was his forte. He left Trinidad in 1960 but returned often, usually for carnival which was his favourite time of year. Pan, drums, brass, the music fed his soul and creativity. His film King Carnival made for BBC´s World About Us series in 1973, is cited as the best documentary about Trinidad´s carnival and traces the history and influences of the festival.
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN OVER 30 YEARS OF OBSERVING THE TRINIDAD CARNIVAL
¨What I try to capture is the reality of a moment in a person’s life that attracts my eye and my mind, as well as their thoughts and inner feelings which reflects in their face and body language, not just a pose for the camera. I try to do this in my films and photography. ¨ Sir Horace Ove, CBE
