Pictou County photographer releases the book titled BOAT

Katherine Knight holds a model boat while standing next to the cabinet display unit at the deCoste Cultural Hub in Pictou, that currently displays a copy of her book, some of the photography from the book, and boat models used. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsArticle contentPICTOU – The question that is likely to come from looking at and reading Katherine Knight’s new book, simply titled BOAT, is, ‘Are those really just models?’THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe book is to be officially released on Nov. 4, but, as Knight said, “it’s real now,” while talking to The News from the Pictou Library in the deCoste Cultural Hub on Oct. 22. The Hub features a glass display cabinet that includes a copy of the book, a few examples of Knight’s photography, and the model boats she used in the book.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“One could say it’s a picture book, but it’s more than that,” Knight, a nationally recognized and award-winning photographer, said in starting to describe the book.Article content“It’s my photographs of model boats, but they’re interspersed with some guest essays; also, some interviews with model makers.”Article contentShe said conducting the interviews and getting to know the model makers better was one of her favourite parts of putting the book together.Article content“I talked to model makers, recorded our conversations, and then condensed the conversations,” she said. “So, they pop up throughout the book, and they’re great stories.”Article content The book BOAT, by Pictou County-based photographer Katherine Knight, will be officially released on Nov. 4. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsArticle contentSTARTED NINE YEARS AGOArticle contentKnight talked about how the idea of photographing model boats in real backgrounds first came to her.Article content“I really made my first model boat photograph in 2016, and I, kind of, got rolling more into it in 2018,” she said. “It went quiet during COVID, but then last January, all of a sudden, I was deep into bringing everything together into a book.Article contentArticle content‘The book felt fast (coming together), but the work behind it was slow and took almost a decade.”Article contentKnight said, at first, it was just about making the best photographs of model boats.Article content“The book didn’t come into my mind until later, especially once I had 100 photographs,” she said. “Producing photographs as an exhibition is expensive, and you need a gallery. So, the idea of a book, which could be shared easily, really became seductive.”Article contentAs for photographing model boats as a subject matter, Knight said it falls into her pattern of having water as part of her work.Article content“Somehow, my work has always been about water … even going back 40 years,” she said. “And when approaching seascapes, I’m always thinking about how do I bring them alive?Article content“I first thought of them (model boats) as a prop which I could put in the water and make a beautiful water shot, so it crept up on me a bit. Then, I’m also interested in Maritime culture, history, and how people make things … the idea of the creative process.”