CONTEMPORARY ELEGANCE IN ART
Black and White photography is regarded as an "elegant" art form insofar as it transcends the limits of mere appearance.
My work features the un-spoiled beauty of the African landscape. Africa is a magical place and my artistic goal is to reconnect humankind to nature to experience its calm, unhurried elegance.
WHY BLACK AND WHITE?
I often get asked why I specialise in Black and White photography. Most photographers would answer that it removes the distraction of colour.
But for me it is much more. Working with black and white opens up the opportunity to work with the initial capture of a scene, as one would do with a piece of clay. This always results in refined authentic art that is elegant and in our modern world, is still sought after.
Black and white is far more flexible than colour. It allows a huge amount of latitude for the infusion of artistic expression. My goal is to create a combination of simplicity and sophisticated refinement that speaks to the viewer.
I use the full black tonal range from both of its extremes, something that when applied to colour often creates highly over saturated and unrealistic images, like those often seen on social media.
THE TEST OF TIME
Black and white photography has stood the test of time. The traditional wet darkroom processing technique has not been lost insofar as modern digital editing software fully emulates the tried and tested process to deliver the almost identical result.
Both the old and modern digital processes require direct input from the artist in order to create art. There are no shortcuts!
Desaturating a colour photograph or by clicking the ‘convert to black and white checkbox’ simply does not deliver suitable results.
Each piece is a unique creation that reflects the artist's vision. It is the expression of the artist's creative skill that results in a work that is not only intended to be appreciated for its aesthetic appearence, but also for it's emotional power to convey an emotional narritive.
ONCE YOU HAVE IT, YOU WILL LOVE IT!
Being a neutral medium, black and white fits seamlessly into any room, contemporary, modern or old, and more importantly, into any colour scheme and completes the room. Once the artwork is hung on the wall, it not only reflects the style of its new owners, but also tells their own story.
When Black and white photography is done right, you will recognise it. And once you have it, you will love it!
