From The Bumforth Manor Series. In this latest body of work I present photographs as though they had been recently discovered in the attic of a long deceased relative;- charged with romantic mystery within the context of historical photography. There is evidence planted within each image that invites further enquiry, and I encourage the viewer to examine this carefully selected moment, and to wonder what came before and what may happen next – interpreting the photograph as a narrative as well as a relic of the past. In direct contradiction of today's demands upon photography to be easily accessible and to provide instant gratification, I employ equipment and techniques that date back to the craft’s earliest days. My pictures are constructed from scratch and everything within my pictures is real – especially when disparate or unexpected. The original photograph is made in a single sitting on one photographic plate, and after processing I then set to work upon the negative. By scratching and distressing, painting & adding texture, it is my intention to build a patina that helps to convey a false sense of historical provenance to juxtapose with the often incongruous subject matter.
