BARRY BOTTOMLEY
be inspired
ARTIST'S STATEMENT //
Never any good at painting, I turned to photography as a way of expression and it is now on the street that I find my canvas. For me it is a space that offers endless creative possibilities. I think my photography in some way reflects my inner thoughts and feelings which can be a jumbled up mess at times and fantastically inspiring and lucid at others. This is probably why I am drawn to abstracts on one hand and then, with a flick of a switch, urban decay on the other.
I work mainly with colour as it provides me with the tools to make bold, vibrant statements, whether this be on a cold, rainy winter's night, or a sea front in the middle of summer. By being creative when shooting - I prefer to leave post production to a minimum - I'll aim for a rich colour palette, but at the same time offering a natural connection within the image.
I am happy working without a fixed project in mind and have been drawn to the notion of mindful photography where I let my subconscious take over and let it lead me to the right place. This in turn inspires and feeds my creative thinking which in turn has led to project ideas.
I look at places and wonder what's on the other side of the window, door or curtain? Or what must it be like to be in that space? Or feel a sense of isolation? Or to reflect on better times gone by? This collection of images comes from this train of thought. They are all taken in London at various locations, but it is not the locations that are of importance to me, rather the feelings they evoke.