John Hollingsworth
Photographer/Director
John is a self taught photographer who originally started taking pictures to keep busy while directing music videos and commercials. With an 80’s Olympus OM10, revelling in a lack of technique, avoiding the advice and company of those who wanted to give it the journey began.
Freed from the confines of crew and egos, stills photography quickly became his main artistic pursuit. Initially he concentrated on portraits or “interrupted conversations” of the people he found around him in London and New York. Abstract frames, street furniture and “stuff people don’t see” became irresistible and eventually too easy.
Finding beauty and form in the ignored and forgotten was to be a whole new outlet in Dubai as one familiar palate was exchanged for another much less inviting. At first it was shocking, the camera stayed in the case. But once given commercial access to a huge building complex the opportunity to capture the dignity of labour and much more arose, so the conversation began all over again.
John believes that photography is the most difficult artistic pursuit as you start with a finished product unlike painters or sculptors.
“You have to get very good at looking at the ordinary to stand any chance of taking a good photograph”
This year he made the decision to start taking digital pictures.
“Despite the lack of alchemy involved in digital photography it’s become even harder to take a good picture as everybody now believes they can do it just as well as anybody else”
Maybe what they don’t see is the two years that’s gone into taking the shot of the bus full of sleeping workers, getting up at 5am to find the right bus, light, space etc. He’s still looking for it now. Maybe that shot will be ready for his next show, he’s in no rush.
Cities develop their own language over time but Dubai has not been here long enough even for a decent chat!
John goes out most days to talk to it with his camera, if he doesn’t it’s like
“I forgot to wake up that morning”
Some days he gets an answer he likes.
To visit John’s Gallery, please click here
t: +971 50 280 4364
