J O H N A L L I S O N
I've been involved in traditional fine art photography for over 20 years. Like many I began working in black and white but switched to colour full time towards the late 80's. Although I was trained in commercial photography, the fine art end of the medium was really where my passions lay. For a time I subscribed to the perfect black and white print style of such luminaries as Adams and Weston. But as the years went by I became more and more interested in alternative methods of imagery and manipulated printing techniques. Computer imaging certainly came along at the right time for me creatively. I was seriously bitten by the digital bug when bought my first Macintosh computer back in the early nineties. Since that time I quickly became one of the digitally converted and have never looked back.
All my darkroom equipment has been long since packed away and I haven't made a traditional print for nearly ten years!
My imagery while quite strongly digitally enhanced, is firmly rooted in the documentary style of traditional photography. Some strong early influences for me are Eugene Atget, Walker Evans, and Andre Kertesz to name a few.
My vision has also been strongly influenced by Canadian Realist painters from the Maritime Provinces, most notably Christopher Pratt from whom I have adopted a very frontalist approach in much of my work.
John Allison