John Brooks

My work as an artist photographer features the world around us viewed in an alternative way, one that seeks out the extraordinary that lies within the ordinary. Parts of the environment by which we are surrounded are often overlooked despite being plainly within our view. I have for many years been inspired by the commonplace object or landscape and the hidden aspects of that subject matter. Without selecting a microcosm of the subject it is still possible to present the viewer with a radically different perspective of the ordinary by drawing their attention to the potential of the subject by virtue of its shape, colour, texture, shadows, juxtaposition or transient condition rendered by human interference.

Having studied painting and drawing at college I developed a strong passion for abstraction which soon expressed itself through my photography and discovered that the camera could actually present a subject in that way without manipulation in the darkroom.

My preference for a photographic image over painting or drawing stems from the challenge presented by using this medium. Traditionally photography was considered as an artistic cheat by virtue of its “simplicity” of use, and for colour photography the “Pretty” pictures which were produced. My initial aim was to prove that a good image simply requires skill and creativity to produce through the ability to “see” and that the work may not necessarily be considered ”Pretty”.

Some of my recent work has developed further into abstraction and has become much larger. The use of digital printing has made this possible together with the software to allow photomontages. I use scanned negatives from medium and large format film to create the work which has been successfully exhibited by prestigious regional and London galleries.

Website: www.johnbrooksphotography.co.uk

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