Shapeshifter No. 4 Photograph 2018 Manchester, UK Print on A3 paper, Edition of 25
In 2018, a good friend (and an exceptional photographer) shared with me some images he had made of a very special place. I knew right away that I simply had to go there and create my own photographs.
Although the location (which I’m keeping secret, for now) is only a couple of hours from our home in the Midlands of the UK, the logistics proved challenging. Being in a city centre, transportation and parking were of concern. But more important was the fact that this is a very public—and very busy—area. I hadn’t been there before, and I was unsure about the conditions I would find when I arrived.
Nevertheless, I optimistically planned the day of shooting. I decided to take the train from our town to the big city, even though that meant lugging all my camera equipment. I took my full complement of gear: a large camera backpack full of various lenses and a backup camera body, and my trusty tripod. The train ride took several hours and required a change of trains at a very busy station.
The journey went as expected, with no major issues. But when I arrived at my destination, it was cold and pouring with rain. I walked through the city as quickly as I could, hoping it would all be worth it.
When I arrived at the location, there were a few people here and there, but otherwise it was relatively quiet. I spent some time walking around, standing in various places, just looking, and thinking, immersing myself in the feel of the place and getting a sense of the kinds of human activity I might expect once I got into doing some serious photography.
I enjoyed several hours in the location, shooting diligently for long periods and taking a few short breaks. I had an amazing time!! I made nearly 500 frames, representing a fantastic variety of angles and a range of focal lengths, from quite wide to very close up.
This type of situation is a perfect example of the critical importance of composition, framing and visualisation in photography. The most subtle shifts can make a huge difference in the total composition, and this relatively small space provided an infinite number of possibilities for interesting images.
It’s not every day that I have so much fun and feel so immersed in the process of photography. On my return journey home I felt the deep satisfaction of knowing I had made some images that I was very happy with and that would make incredible prints.
After later reviewing, sorting and editing the day’s images, I selected 25 which make up the final collection. I’ve given the series the title Shapeshifter, illustrating the amazing way that even a tiny shift in angle and perspective creates incredibly different pictures in this special location.
(And if you’re wondering what exactly this picture shows, it’s simply a reflection in a mirrored surface. This is exactly how it appears to the naked eye—I haven’t manipulated or altered the image in any way.)
I’ve previously produced this photograph as large format, original canvas and metal prints. Now, for the first time, I’m releasing it as a limited edition print on paper.
Fusión Photograph 2018 Near Aracena, Spain Edition of 25
During the Spring of 2018, Ruth and I led a small group on a private photo tour of Portugal and southern Spain. Our carefully planned route took us through many authentic and rarely visited places, including the area around Aracena.
Our group stayed a few nights at a rustic family farmstead, situated on a vast tract of ranch land. The property also enjoys acres and acres of wild oak trees, the acorns of which are fed to the local pigs raised to make jamón ibérico.
One day, while exploring the woodlands on our daily walks, I discovered a huge, cast-iron disk half embedded in the forest floor. I don’t know what it was—maybe some leftover farming equipment, or remnants from mining or some other industrial activity.
In any case, I was captivated by the colours, patterns and textures of the metal dish. I made a series of photographs, working to get the angle of view and composition just right.
I’ve previously produced this photograph as large format, original canvas and metal prints. Now, for the first time, I’m releasing it as a limited edition print on paper.
PS—the photo tour mentioned above was one of many that Ruth and I have led for private clients. We create bespoke photo experiences anywhere in the world, so get in touch if you’d like to discuss your own private photo tour!
Sutton Harbour No. 1 January 2023 Plymouth, England Edition of 25
This photograph is one of a series of images I made during a trip to Plymouth, England in January 2023. Ruth and I had been to Plymouth a few times before, and during one of our trips discovered the beautiful and historic Sutton Harbour. I absolutely love seaside and maritime environments, especially for my abstract photography.
While wandering around the docks, I encountered huge stacks of lobster and crab pots, all stacked up and wrapped with cling film. The rain and sun combined to create wonderful, dewy condensation on the film, taking on the appearance of water.
When I find situations like this, I can spend hours deeply engrossed in my photography, exploring every nook and cranny to find the most intriguing compositions. This image stands out as one of my favourites from this particular shooting session.
In December 2021, Ruth and I visited the beautiful city of Lille in northern France. Exploring the narrow cobbled streets of the old town, I discovered this scene in a shadowy doorway. I made a number of exposures, shooting handheld, working to create the strongest possible composition while abstracting the graphics by removing the visual context of the surrounding scene.
After applying only very minimal adjustments to enhance tone and colour, I printed the image onto Breathing Color archival canvas. I stretched the canvas onto pine stretcher bars and then, using a small brush, applied clear acrylic—over only the lines. They stand out nicely against the dark background, and the hand embellishing creates a unique, one-of-a-kind mixed media work.
I’ve mounted the canvas in a black, wood float frame. The finished work is just over 24 x 36 inches and is priced at £950.
During Autumn 2018, I produced a body of work in abstract photography that, in many ways, fulfills my highest vision as an artist. (This is what I’ve been working toward for many years!) Today, I’m pleased to present one of my first releases of finished art derived from the series.
My aim with this series was to create a set of images that share some common attributes and visual style, but that also have a lot of variation from one image to the next.
While I was making the photographs I was observing the dynamic, captivating graphic elements and working to create intriguing, surreal images with an organic feel.
I’ve titled the series Shapeshifter; each individual photograph simply uses a unique number designator. This naming ties in with the nature of the subject matter—through only slight changes in my viewpoint, the reflective surface revealed an infinite variety of shapes, colours and patterns… Truly morphing in front of my eyes!
Shapeshifter No. 11 displays a minimalist composition, with a single black line running diagonally across the picture space. This is surrounded by subtle, organic textures in a muted, pastel colour palette.
As with much of my abstract work, this is offered as a mixed media piece, which I create by printing the photograph onto canvas and then hand-embellishing the canvas surface with transparent acrylic, bringing out the contours and textures of the underlying image. It is 16×24 inches, unframed ‘gallery-wrap’ style and delivered ready-to-hang.
Thus, each is produced to-order and is a one-of-a-kind, unique original. This art makes fantastic décor and a real conversation piece in any contemporary interior!
A world-renowned eye surgeon based in Switzerland has commissioned me to produce a bespoke mixed media work on canvas, based on my photograph ‘Waiting for Dawn’, as a Christmas gift for his wife. The artwork will hang in their home.
Abstract photograph with a minimalist geometric design features a striking pink vertical streak set against large fields of textured teal and mottled silver.
Fine art prints and mixed media originals available.
On my first trip to Bologna, Italy, I discovered a large trash bin with some curious paint markings on its lid. I stopped and took many photographs of the scene.
I’ve looked at these images for a long while and still am not sure what’s made these markings. But I don’t think they are intentional. At some point in the past, this metal surface came into contact with some black paint and the result is what you see here.
I have a strong philosophy that my photography—especially my abstract work—does not depict the visual works created by other artists. I don’t [generally] photograph graffiti, sculptures, even architecture that was meant as an aesthetic, visual statement made by another creator.
I believe the best fine art photography presents situations, subjects, concepts and ideas that were not thought of by someone else beforehand. As such, all my abstract works that I present publicly are of subjects and situations that I believe were not created for visual effect by another artist before I encountered it.
Which brings me back to the enigma of this image. I found it as you see it. But it perplexes me. What made these marks?
After much study I believe the shapes in the paint were not created intentionally, but from some activity which we will never know. If this is truly the case, this is one of the finest examples of “accidental design” that I’ve encountered.
A couple of years ago I led a client on a private photo tour around Spain. One of our favourite locations was Barcelona, where we enjoyed an afternoon tour and concert of the famous and beautiful Palau de la Musica Catalana.
A private art collector in Minnesota, USA has commissioned a bespoke variation on my abstract photograph ‘Waiting for Dawn’.
This has been one of my most popular images. Several collectors have ordered original mixed media works and reproductions of it, making subtle adjustments to customize it for their home.
The current commission called for a custom crop printed to the size of 22×36 inches. The collector also requested that I tweak some of the colors here and there, adding more saturation and hues to match their interior decor scheme.
The custom image is being printed as a straight chromogenic print on luster photo paper, and will be matted and framed for hanging.
I’ll write up a more detailed case study of this project, along with final photos, once the art has been installed.
In 2014, Ruth and I led another private photo tour around Tuscany, Italy. One of our group’s favorite towns was San Gimignano, an architectural wonder from medieval times.
We first photographed the iconic village from the surrounding area, then gradually worked our way into the city. Everyone made compelling images depicting all facets of this magical town.
While I was wandering around the back alleys, I discovered an outdoor restaurant patio attached to a hotel. Lovely glass panels were all around, each reflecting and refracting the afternoon sun as it came down in slivers between the tall stone towers surrounding the courtyard.
This photograph shows a closeup of the refraction of glass panels on a textured fabric surface. Although it’s far from the typical photograph of San Gimignano, for me it epitomizes the special vignettes that can be found in every little corner of the world.
As with all my photographs, fine art prints and original abstract mixed media works are available, so get in touch if you can envision this adorning your walls.
For many years, I’ve been working to refine my vision in creating pure abstraction using the camera. It’s been difficult in ways I didn’t expect.
Making an abstract photograph can be hard, to begin with, because we can very easily make sense of pictures and figure out ‘what the thing is’. If you can tell what it is, it isn’t truly abstract.
Second, even if a photograph may be called truly abstract, it might not be beautiful or interesting. I’ve long known that I am mainly concerned with making pictures that are beautiful and interesting, in various ways, rather than pursuing the all-too-common goal in fine art of presenting ugliness.
With these two objectives forming a prime directive—it must be truly abstract and it must be lovely—most of the pictures I make inevitably fail the test. (What you see here on my web site are the ones that I feel succeeded…)
Every once in a while, I make a picture that, in every way, feels right. It simply clicks. And I know I’m on the right path for myself as an artist.
This is one of those images. I have many thousands of pictures in my body of work, but relatively few that I really love. This one just does it for me.
I made this picture in Korčula, Croatia. It’s a very beautiful city known for innumerable views and scenery that capture the heart and mind. But. as always, I look for something beyond the obvious.
This is a close-up, although not extreme macro, photograph of a metal door with dark brown paint. Over many years people had taped posters and flyers to the door. While the posters have long gone, the cracked and peeling residue of the tape remains, creating unbelievably intricate patterns and textures forming enigmatic shapes.
Click for a larger view
The detail captured here is almost unbelievable. I used my favourite camera of all time, the Sony A7R II, which has a resolution of 42.4 effective megapixels. With the camera on a tripod, I very carefully chose the settings for the shot and focused critically to get the absolute sharpest image possible. To the right is a small section of the image, enlarged to show the amazing detail. As you can see, I could easily cut this image apart to make an unlimited number of variations and sets of images designed to hang together on a wall.
Although the original capture was very monochromatic (pretty much all brown hues) I decided to make it a straight black-and-white to emphasize the very graphic nature of the image. It strongly reminds me of a pen and ink drawing, which I loved to do as a child and teenager. Maybe this is why it resonates with me so much?
What do you think? Do you like it? Why or why not? What does it remind you of?
Would you hang a huge print of this in your living room, or on your office wall?
Abstract photograph made in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Multicoloured blocks appear arranged in a grid interrupted by transparent lines and subtle textures.
Available as a fine art print on any material. Also available as an original mixed media work, hand-embellished with acrylic.
I’m working on a series of photographs featuring strong graphics and high contrast derived from urban architectural elements. This image was made in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Click the image for a larger preview.
Fine art prints available; contact Nat for details.
Abstract photograph made at El Prat airport, Barcelona, Spain. Stark, graphic composition depicts monochrome concrete with hashed lines reminiscent of stitches.
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Fine art prints available; Contact us for details.
This is the kind of photograph I am always looking for. Simple, graphic, enigmatic.
I’ve titled this image ‘Gaelbreton Beam’ because, to me, it portrays a bridge and a beacon in the gap between the ancient peoples of Europe. (Weird, I know.)
The Gaels descended from the Celts and became what are considered the native inhabitants of the British Isles. The Bretons come from essentially the same genetic lineage, but became the people of Brittany, and eventually, modern France.
Throughout millennia, the people of England and France have been tied together by blood, marriage and historic events. Only the English Channel—a shallow stretch of water only about 20 miles wide—separates these kindred people. But so much has divided them.
This abstract photograph was made in Paris, France and presents a minimalist composition featuring a multi-hued teal blue strip dropping down into a deep black background.
Fine art prints available on any material, in any size. Also available as mixed media original on canvas with hand embellished acrylic.
I roam the world looking for subjects to create interesting abstract photographs. When I see an opportunity to make a photo like this, things just click together.
This is a photograph of the outside of a building housing Selfridges, a retailer in Birmingham, England. It’s an iconic structure and has been photographed many times. This is my take on it.
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Fine art prints are available; contact us for details.
I made this abstract photograph in Gothenburg, Sweden. The composition depicts a nebulous red blob, creating a strong focal point interacting with many transparent layers, lines and geometric shapes in textures of warm and cool hued grays.
There is something strangely familiar about this image. The graphics recall memories of strife and turmoil, but the structured composition conveys peace and stability. The many layers speak of the passage of time, yet the feeling is very much here-and-now. It appears as if chaos and order are coexisting within the frame and all is right with the universe.
This photograph is available for ownership as a limited edition fine art print or mixed media original, hand embellished with acrylic. Made to any size to fit your specifications.
This abstract photograph, created in Edinburgh, depicts my expression of the complex and multilayered history, landscape and people of Scotland, the Kingdom of Alba.
The composition features a criss-cross pattern of transparent blue and white, which at once recalls the iconic flag of Scotland along with the turbulent ocean and a long seafaring tradition.
Vibrant green hues, representing the fertile land and rugged mountains, accentuate the image.
The graphics are reminiscent of the iconic and historic Scotch tartan patterns, used for centuries to distinguish the myriad clans inhabiting the country’s various regions.
Making a dramatic statement in any contemporary interior, this photograph is available as a fine art print in any size, on any material, starting at $95.
Original mixed media works, created by hand-embellishing a pigment print on canvas, are also available.
Contact us for details and pricing on your own custom artwork.
Abstract photograph made in a station on the Circle Line, London Underground.
This image presents bold, graphic shapes and vivid colours against a textured white background.
Click image for a larger preview
Earlier on the day I made this photograph, I visited the Tate Modern. Seeing lots of groundbreaking abstract art at the museum certainly primed my eye to spot this amazing scene in the Tube.
There were many big challenges to make this picture. First, we were waiting for a train, so I only had a couple of minutes. Second, the platform was crowded with travelers jostling for position. Third, it was very dark. And I had no tripod. (Not that I really could have set one up anyway.) So I had to shoot this handheld, using a wide aperture and high ISO. My beloved Sony a7R was up to the task. The optical image stabilization gave me a couple extra stops of shutter speed, and the a7R’s fantastic performance in low light really impressed me. And the 36 MP resolution means this image can be printed very large, with amazing detail.
Mixed media originals and fine art reproductions available for purchase in any size; contact us for your custom quote.
Abstract photograph made in Paris, France depicts a large black square containing nebulous, organic white shapes positioned above a turquoise bar punctuated by black interleaved triangles.
I find this image mysterious and captivating. The pattern along the bottom reminds me of designs found on the temples of ancient pre-Columbian civilizations like the Maya and Inca. Above, the enigmatic white shapes float in an inky field of black, speckled with tiny multicolored specks and lines that resemble the night sky. This image is serious, introspective and heavy—perfect decor for masculine interiors.
Available for purchase as mixed media original and fine art reproductions; contact me for custom pricing.
