Biography  Patrick Donald                                             

 Patrick's 'Purist' approach to his work means that he does not digitally-manipulate his photographs, he endevours to capture the natural spirit of lifes events and landscapes without intervention by him. It is through these standards that he pesents his pictures to you as a representation of the vision he had at the time he made the exposures.

Working in black and white film and now being more open minded to the advances that digital imaging has brought in recent years he travels with his cameras (5x4, medium format and 35mm) taking in and recording the unspoilt landscapes of Ireland. Having lived in Dublin most of his life he has also compiled a large collection of documentary street photographs, and travel to other countries has given him the opportunity to record different ways of life, in his own natural style. It is the everyday events that happen in natural light, realizing that it is an accumulation of many factors that will produce an image of interest. Patience, light and instinct being the three main elements for successful pictures. Making ones self available in interesting locations with the right camera in hand and being open to the natural suroundings we live in. My aim is to capture something deeper than the physical representation that photography can so easily record. Wheather it be a landscape without people or streetscape with people the aim is to make pictures that stand up as interesting compositions individually in there own right and that communicate a message.

 PHOTOGRAPHERS STATEMENT:

 In photographing there nearly always has to be an element of aesthetic in order for the image to have an appeal to the viewer, a certain geometry where the elements of the photograph have come together to form a pleasing composition of a subject in a particular light. It should give the viewer some sense of wonder as to there existence as in my view people relate to there own experiences when viewing photography. So if it’s a landscape photograph my intension is to give an impression as to our reliance on nature, and from what basic beginnings we all evolved from. A sense of life can be found in everything on the earth in my view, its that life and ever present conciousness that I attempt to portray through my photography. Its a little trickier than it sounds to do this sucessfully as obviously the image is still, it does not make noises and alot of the time is not of people or animals. Although when I do photograph people or animals, when someone is walking through a space that I am photographing it is the energy a grace of movement that I am endevouring to stop in time as a photograph. If it is a portrait I am looking for something that cannot be put into words, a sense of peace within, an exceptance of that persons place at the time the picture was taken, an understanding of comman ground between the picture maker and the person being photographed. This in a sense maybe why I am drawn to photograph Nomadic people, in my view they not only have a wonderful sense of freedom of spirit and energy that comes across well in a photograph. They also tend to dress in an individual style that accentuates to us there lack of existing in a materialistic environment, which personally I find attractive.

      Just like the landscape has been formed by wind, erosion, glaciers etc its natural shapes and textures have been formed by a higher power of which we have little control. What we do have control over is the conscious manipulation by us on the environment. The parallel with us is that we are at certain point in the evolution of being homo sapiens and as we have been shaped by the same forces of nature and the surface of the earth that was first shaped by it, we are at the mercy of both as we reside amongst it. As individuals we are not presented with that many choices it seems, as we are in turn largely shaped and influenced by others and ther experiences which all directs us in a certain understanding as to our perspective and take on life. More than likely we have been brought up by our parents, who live in a certain place and have certain values and from that we are largely shaped. This means that although we think we have our own individual mind and thoughts it is more likely to be a culmination of our experiences of our direct in the moment envirnoment and the way way we dress and behave etc for the vast majority of us is very largley influenced by those around us and what has been here before. As humans we are influenced by many factors especially so in these times of communication and visual scientific information it is especially prevalent. The questions that surround our existence are endless and with the use of photographs we keep this topic alive forever challenging the reality that we see and live in. Does this in essence challenge how much control a photographer has over what message he is making in visual form, as he is limited to what is there in the first place. The photograph is an excellent means of posing questions as to our existance. So photography is questioning reality, informing people as to what is happening in far and distant lands, placing events in history, a universal language that is limitless in its exploration of time and ways of living. This is why I feel so strongly about the purist approach I have to my work. Take it... see it... don't change it.

        My cameras are my windows to the world from my perspective and they give me the opportunity to express my vision. So my passion is not photography but through it I am given an opportunity to show my passion which is life on earth and everything around this experience.  

      Although I am a follower of straight photography mainly in the medium of black and white film, the idea is to show as close as humanly possible what it is that I am photographing. In certain circumstances I am drawn to using colour photography if I feel that it will reveal more interesting images and like wise with long exposures if I feel that it will say more about the scene then that is way I will explore the subject. When I have a camera in my hands I feel like a hunter, it is as if the same sort of skills are needed to capture to show others much like a hunter would have shown off his kill having used skill to out fox the prey. The difference is that I am gathering information that will hopefully have a positive affect on people and the environment and will instill an image of preservation and intriuge. 

Patrick's images are available as both Giclee (inkjet) prints and as Silver Gelatin Photographs, for more information please email him at info@patrickdonald.com