The difference between photography and painting is more than anything else about the frame. In photography the primary compositional tool is framing. You cant just put anything you want in the frame - at least with 'traditional' photography. So the point (to me) is to choose what to include and what to exclude. A painter has the choice to add things (or not) and is not restricted by what is in her field of view.

 

I remember after graduating I took drawing classes. They made me look at things in a much more compositional way. I am interested in the act of vision, in perspective, in presenting images that make the viewer (and me) think about the field of vision, about what is in the frame, and what is not.

 

In that sense these images are intended not as narrative, but as poetry. There is story, and it is buried deep within; it does indeed drive the image, but it is as much about how the story is told as it is about the story itself.

 

These images represent my fine art landscape practice. As an easily distracted photographer, there are any number of rabbit holes to get lost in. I have explored many, but I keep coming back to this. It remains a constant in my work, no matter what else I am doing with photography, I will always make some images that speak to these concerns.

 

You can see some of my other work on other websites. ChristopherSpurrell.com for my portraiture practice (some of it NSFW); LandscapeAndSelf.com for abstract work, and my blog This.ChristopherSpurrell.com.

 

Perhaps the simplest thing is to follow me on Twitter @ChrisSpurrell or @mywayofseeing

 

 

Chris Spurrell