Artists Statement
Images of the landscape have fascinated me from a young age. Not the stereotypical sweeping vistas of the rolling hills and plains, but the more subtle details that lay hidden within, waiting to be revealed.
Although I spend much of my time exploring the open landscapes of the North West, I have never set out with the deliberate objective of documenting them through a camera lens. Nor have I sought to portray them as idyllic, beautiful, dramatic or pastoral; though one could well fit or apply such adjectives to these environments. What I do seek to convey in my photography is some sense of the natural spirit of these places and their elemental nature, that unique feeling of presence that goes beyond a sense of place and stirs our imaginations, connecting us in a compelling way to the beauty and dignity of our environment. The changing and evolving North West landscapes and the light within them are a passion, a source of constant joy, surprise and wonder to me and I hope this element is transmitted as you view my work.
My photographic techniques are entirely dependent on the available light and the actuality of the landscape. I do not seek to ‘re-enchant the land’; my images are as I found them. I do not use filters nor do I manipulate, clone or re-colour my work using digital techniques. I don’t believe our landscape needs any assistance from me.
The concept of revealed or accidental images conveys something of what matters to me in photography and excites me about physically existing within the landscape, the combination of chance, circumstance, light and discovery. I believe this to be a significant privilege; a kind of upside to the human condition if you like. At a recent exhibition a visitor remarked how the images “sing of hope and wonder”. I could wish for no greater compliment than that.”
Education
Exhibitions
John Eastwood's work has been published by the National Trust and featured in a wide variety of books and magazines.
