Let me show you the world in my eyes...
In this current digital age, we are constantly being bombarded with visual stimuli that try and grab our attention for just a few seconds. Overloaded with imagery there is too many distractions to really take time to look and see what is important. I believe careful observation is a really valuable skill that I have learned whilst being trained as a scientist.
Through my photography I want to challenge people to step out of their daily routine to explore and appreciate the simple beauty that is around us everywhere; A beauty that only reveals itself if you take time to really observe and look out for it; be it created by man in the city or created by nature in the countryside; stripped of all unnecessary distractions; just the elements that matter to capture that magic moment; frozen in time and space to restore a moment of peace and calm in an otherwise turbulent world.
Background...
I first got interested in photography whilst at university when I bought my first second hand SLR camera of a fellow student. To me photography is a means to express myself creatively that allows me to escape from the day to day drama and clear my head; it gives me a purpose to explore the world and to get to places or do things I would not normally get to or do otherwise.
Growing up in the 80s and being a fan of bands like U2 and Depeche Mode I became acquainted with Anton Corbijn’s photography and art work. I have always liked his raw and grainy black and white style of photography with strong contrasts between light and shadows.
The analytical skills I developed as a scientist have expressed themselves in a very graphical and often minimalist style of photography using strong black and white contrasts. I am always on the lookout for details, lines, shapes and textures that appear aesthetically pleasing to me and have a preference for clear compositions focusing on a single subject.
Inspiration...
Ever since buying my first radio when I was 10 I have been listening to music and this still brightens up every day of my life. In recognition of that I have taken to seeking inspiration from song titles as captions to all my photographs to add another layer of expression.
I am also a great lover of film for their ability to create a completely different reality and I am much inspired by the works of other great photographers, non the least by Sebastião Salgado, Michael Kenna, Michael Levin, and Henri Cartier-Bresson.