About the beatnik...

As a photographer I use vintage materials and developing techniques to produce striking contemporary images with a retro feel. I use a well loved 1970s Chinon SLR camera and 35mm ADOX film, popular with photo journalists and artists of the 1950s. This film has a high silver content capable of producing an enhanced grey spectrum with a fine grain and unique tonal qualities. My aim is to maximise the special qualities of the film to create images and effects that are distinctive and different from those created by digital photography and software.

About the soup...

I develop all of my film negatives and prints by hand. In photogrpahic speak, to mix up a "soup" refers to the process of preparing chemical ingredients for processing and prints.

About the prints...

Nothing about my photographs, the developing process or prints is digital. All of my silver gelatin prints are hand produced in a darkroom. During the developing process i can control the exposure, focusing and image size of the final print. I use a "liquid light" silver solution to form a stable emulsion layer that can be developed in the same way as photographic paper. Because of the variables and processes involved, each print is unique. All of my prints are limited editions and can be hand made to order in 8x10, 12x16 and 16x20 inch sizes.

'Dark face'

Still produced for Abstinence & Sensibility

Beatnik Soup 2009

About the photography...

In a world where many things are instant and disposable, I hope to produce photographs as obejcts to be treasured. I often take photographs of everyday subjects from unusal perspectives or using macro photographic techniques with the hope of revealing something unexpected

'Feather Head'

Beatnik Soup 2010

silver gelatin print.