ABSTRACT SIMPLICITY

DAVID RUTTER FRPS

The thinking behind my panel of images was that all images are the same. Since they are simply millions of pixels they could be arranged in a particular order to present a still life flower or in a different order they will become a sweeping landscape or a weeping willow or a leaping tiger, of course the list is endless.

I wanted to break down the elements of photography into a basic form and create images that would define the fundamental ingredients and be creative in the process. But how could I express my thoughts about this basic concept as a graphic study purely in the terms of lines, colour, light and shade? Fortunately, I stumbled across the perfect material subject that allowed me to play with with shape and light until eventually my panel emerged.

The practical method of creating these images is to hold the material within a sort of wooden box with two sides removed and no lid. Various clamps and tools were employed to hold the material in place whilst I then used a single softbox to feather light gently across the scene. Finding lines and shapes by looking through the viewfinder came easily some days but then it might take a week to find a new curve or shape or direction of light which would create another pleasing image.

After photographing numerous three dimensional “scenes” from the horizontal viewpoint I proceeded to arrange top down images created by layering, stepping, and offsetting the subject and introducing a second light source between layers – this second light led to the creation of the centre “triangle” image.

I have no real explanation as to where the compositional ideas came from but the ideas flowed as I created some scenes by forming a background mid-ground and foreground and other scenes with simpler layers. Some images relied upon vertical components for their structure and others with horizontals, some used a mixture of both with twisted or spiralled rolls upon them.

I continued shooting and the panel appeared before me as I replaced the weakest image time and time and time again until I eventually shot new images for single positions in the panel in order that the lines, shapes and shadows all fell in the best places to suit a logical panel arrangement. After five months my shooting concluded in February 2021 and my panel was submitted ready for the 11th March assessment. As I heard the assessors comments it was with huge pleasure and relief that the depth of thought and emotion that had gone into my images was now being recognised and I was absolutely delighted to achieve the Fellowship.

STATEMENT OF INTENT

Abstract Simplicity

I invite you to join my celebration of style and look beyond the subject. My images provide identity with soul through creative technique, this enhances the image structure and substance and thereby benefits the visual perception. The composition of lines, shadows, texture, tone, colour, and space enthral me but it is my love of light and shade rising and falling across simple components that I find most beautiful and compelling.

My images take a minimalist approach with abstract realism to demonstrate a creative identity with a very simple material subject.

Harnessing differing shades of the three pillar stones of photographic colour: red, green and blue, I have painstakingly blended them with the fundamental ingredient of light to create carefully lit scenes transitioning from soft light to dark shadow in combination with a soft focus fall off.

Here I present my love of the fundamental elements of photography as Abstract Simplicity.