Artist Profile – John Powell

John Powell is an Infrared artist from the UK.  His Infrared images have such emotion and depth to them .

1.Welcome John, please tell us about yourself and your background.

I live in the UK. I’m 56 years of age and I’ve worked as an engineering since leaving school. Most of what I do in my spare time involves photography. I have a growing collection of Nikon cameras having been an avid collector for many years. In 2002, with the help of a few friends, we set up the very first Internet Camera Club in the UK.

 

2. How long have you been a photographer?

I took up photography in 1985, taking pictures of family and friends. Things got a bit more serious after joining my local camera club a few years later and from there I started entering photographic exhibitions.

 

3. How long have you been shooting Infrared.

 

I shot my very first roll of Infrared film back in 1988. Although the subject fascinated me I wasn’t very good at developing or printing. Nonetheless, all that changed once I switched to digital. I’ve been shooting digital infrared images since 2000. I started with an Olympus C2020, which I still have, but my main IR camera today is a converted Nikon D200.

4.  What is your best photography achievement?

Because I’ve entered so many photographic competitions and exhibitions over the years, defining ones best achievement is difficult. If I had to list just one, then it would have to be my Associateship of the British Photographic Exhibitions. This distinction was first awarded in 1991 and since then less than 50 photographers have been granted the award. I was awarded my ABPE in 2013 having gained over 400 acceptances in UK National exhibitions, resulting in no fewer than 75 awards (minimum requirement, 20).

5. What do like best about IR photography?

The thing that drew me to infrared photography all those years ago was black skies and white glowing foliage, together with film grain the size of gold balls. With digital infrared our images are much cleaner looking, which is OK. We also have the benefit of recording colour in our images too. What I like best about Infrared photography is, there are no rules! We can process our Infrared images in an infinite number of ways. With IR photography who’s to say what’s wrong or right. It’s a very personal, yet creative medium to work in.

6. If you could pass on just one tip about IR, what would it be?

Don’t Over Expose.

Do you have any projects currently going you would like to discuss?

There’s always a project going on in the back of my head. First and foremost I’m working towards gaining my Fellowship with the BPE. In addition to that I’m also in the process of gathering together work for an Infrared exhibition I have planned in 2015.

 

More of Johns work can be seen here : www.dotcomphotography.co.uk.