Jon Brock

My photography practice has evolved over more than twenty five years from 35mm film, through a long period using exclusively large format technical cameras (5x4 and 10x8) and sheet film and finally transitioning to digital cameras. 

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In terms of vision, there are two distinct sides to my work - the representational and the abstract. My representational work typically revolves around celebrating 'places' I have come to know and love including the Yorkshire Wolds, The Lake District and Scotland. My abstract work explores ideas such as distilling aspects of the landscape I find interesting or making fully abstracted work where the subject is not really the object being photographed. 

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I started exploring abstract photography as opposed to representational photography nearly 20 years ago and it is a journey I am still enjoying. The notion that an object in a photograph might not necessarily be the main subject is a key tenet to much of my work. For me, making an abstract photograph is not about techniques of obfuscation - for example deliberately making the image blurred. My abstract work is about making the objects in the frame sing and dance to the tune of a higher purpose whether that is an idea, a narrative or a metaphor.

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I look for original images in the landscape that have what I describe as 'dynamic balance' - compositional, tonal and colour balance combined with an inherent energy. The best of these can have a hypnotic quality, causing the eye to dance around the frame.  My goal is to construct portfolios of images that have meaning, consistency, flow and narrative but above all retain a high degree of individual quality in terms of craft and vision. 

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My craft has developed over 25 years from originally mastering complex film based technical cameras to learning many of the intricacies of digital camera workflows. I seek a balance in my approach between the 'Yin' and the 'Yang'.  The majority of my session work is still made slowly and deliberately using a heavy technical camera with movements on a solid tripod - the 'Yin' approach. For this work I use a digital back (Phase IQ4 150) with a Cambo Actus technical camera (MV or DB) with a range of Rodenstock technical camera lenses. Here I am typically anticipating conditions and working in a very thoughtful way.  Most of my abstract work and a lot of the work in my 'Place' portfolios are made this way. In other sessions, I am operating in more of a 'Yang' mode - reacting to changing conditions, being dynamic and more agile. On these occasions I can also use a GFX 100 II handheld or with a very lightweight tripod. 

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I believe that physical artefacts are key to artistic development and enjoyment. ​I process raw images using Capture One and print my work using a Canon Pro 1000.