I have been making photographs for a long time. Ever since I was a young boy. Fascinated when my Dad got the old family photograph album out, I was just as interested in the negatives as I was the 'normal' pictures. Worthy of a comedy sketch, I remember my Dad telling me where to stand whilst setting the timer on his camera which was balanced precariously on the top of a pair of stepladders, and then running across to join me just before the shutter released. His camera was a 1935 German Voigtländer Bessa which he had aquired in Hamburg right at the end of the Second World War. I have the camera now and often wonder about the light and the images that placement and time has allowed to pass through the lens giving the gift of captured images and illusions. The camera was obviously there at every exposure, every image it ever made and I value the authenticity and connection as I look at those that still exist. The Voigtländer has recently been serviced and at nearly ninety years old, it works like new. School provided opportunities for me too as Mr Bond, our teacher and a brilliant artist, had some of us making pinhole cameras and when we looked through them for the first time the images were upside down! He sent me home with a book of photographs by Paul Strand and so there it started. Although I continued with photography, the rest of my education and then work got in the way for the next forty years or so but now, with some more time on my hands, I have been able to immerse myself a little more, gained a Fellowship with the Royal Photographic Society, have exhibited nationally and internationally, been published and now have images held in private collections. I am particularly interested in Sherwood Forest (Sciryuda) and the surrounding area in Nottinghamshire, where my ancestors worked the land, above and below, and where I have lived for almost all of my life. Current projects include the 'River Trent' along with 'OutForest' which is looking at the creeping urbanisation of an undefined forest boundary.
Even when I cannot get out, I have many books by other photographers and am happy browsing through those, finding and learning something new every time. Significant inspiration for me comes from Paul Strand, Josef Sudek, Robert Adams, Thomas Joshua Cooper, John Blakemore, Paul Hill, Adam Dunning, Mick Fattorini, Fay Godwin, Dawn Idalia, Eliot Porter, Raymond Moore, Gerry Johansson, Jan Töve, Mr and Mrs Becher, Michael Schmidt, Mark Ruwedel, George Logan, J. H. Lartigue, Eugene Atget, Harry Callahan, George Tice, Lee Friedlander, Stephen Shore, Laura Gilpin, Sally Mann, Imogen Cunningham, Pentti Sammallahti, Fazal Sheikh, Jem Southam, Chris Killip, John Davis, Paul Caponigro, Mary Donaldson - the list just goes on. The writings of John O'Donohue, Mark Cousins, Geoff Dyer, Robert Adams, Paul Hill, John Berger, Robert Henri, Christopher Neve, Ian Roberts, Max Adams, Katie Holten and more.
EXHIBITIONS etc.
SOLO
2025 Sciryuda. Nottingham Castle Art Gallery, Nottinghamshire.
2024 Sciryuda. Bassetlaw Museum and Art Gallery, Retford, Nottinghamshire. See here.
2022 Sciryuda. Thoresby Gallery, Thoresby Hall, Nottinghamshire.
2020 Sciryuda. Newark Town Hall, Nottinghamshire. (Postponed - Covid-19 - to be rearranged)
2019 Maun. Mansfield Museum, Nottinghamshire.
2019 Sciryuda. Southwell Minster, Nottighamshire.
2019 Scriyuda. BeLoved Gallery, Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
2019 Maun. Worksop Library, Nottinghamshire.
2018 Sciryuda. West Bridgford Library, Nottinghamshire.
2018 Sciryuda. Worksop Library, Nottinghamshire.
GROUP
2025 36th London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition, Espacio Gallery.
2023 / 2024 Shutter Hub OPEN Exhibition. ARB Cambridge University.
2023 / 2024 'To The Sea' - Shutter Hub. St Gilles Croix de Vie, Français.2022 'Post Cards From Europe' - Shutter Hub. Cambridge / UK / Europe various.
2021 33rd London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition (Online due to Covid).
2021 'Post Cards From the UK' - Shutter Hub. Cambridge / UK / Europe various.
2020 32nd London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition (Online due to Covid).
2019 31st London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition.
2019 EIEL: Shutter Hub - ARB Cambridge.
2019 Street / Form - Shutter Hub, Rotterdam.
2019 Home: Shutter Hub - Usk, Wales.
2018 30th London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition.
2018 Maun. Nottingham Off-Centre Photography Festival.
2018 Maun. Shutter Hub - Photomonth East London International Photography Festival, Amsterdam.
2018 Maun. Shutter Hub - Photomonth East London International Photography Festival, London.
2017 Sciryuda. Shutter Hub - Retina International Festival, Edinburgh.
2017 London Kings Cross. 29th London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition.
2016 Coningswath. 28th London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition.
PUBLICATIONS
2024 Amateur Photographer - Sciryuda - ' Final Analysis by Paul Hill MBE '
2024 Shutter Hub 'Close Up' - OutForest feature see here
2023 Self published book / portfolio: Sciryuda (Sherwood Forest)
2023 RPS Contemporary North Members Showcase - OutForest, see here
2023 Scottish Photographers: Contact Sheet - 'Sciryuda' - January 2023.
2022 Royal Photographic Society 'Contemporary Photography Magazine' - 'OutForest'.
2022 Royal Photographic Society News Journal (August) - 'OutForest'. See here
2022 33rd London Independent Photography Annual Exhibition Publication.
2020 London Independent Photography magazine, LIP Chronicles: Life Under Lockdown. See here
2019 Spring - fLIP London Independent Photography - feature article: Wilderness (Sciryuda).
2019 Winter - fLIP. London Independent Photography - Exhibition Review.
2019 Spring - fLIP London Independent Photography - feature article: Belonging.
2018 - Nottingham Photo Festival Exhibition Catalogue.
2017 - Sciryuda. Window of the World - Chinese Photographers Magazine.
2017 - Spring - fLIP: London Independent Photography: Reflections.
PRESENTATIONS AND PANELS
2023 - Royal Photographic Society, Assessment Panel Member (Associate and Fellow)
2022 - Royal Photographic Society, Fellow (FRPS) - see here.
2021 - Royal Photographic Society, Associate (ARPS)
2019 'Tarifa' : Quad Derby (Paul Hill).
2018 'Sciryuda'': Quad Derby (Paul Hill).
WEB
Shutter Hub: link
London Independent Photography: link
ND Magazine: link
Voiglander Bessa - 1935