I am a fine art photographer who specializes in macro, portrait and street photography.
Originally from Newport in Wales, I did a BA in Fine Art painting with photography at Newport College of Art and Design then came to Brighton to do a postgraduate Art teaching course. I taught Art for five years at Mayfield College and now live near Hove seafront on the south coast near Brighton.
My passion for wildlife probably stems from my childhood in South Wales where I spent much of my time outdoors, wandering the countryside and exploring with my brother. We were fortunate to have a wood at the bottom of our garden and the river Afon Llwyd flowing nearby. Roaming around, we’d find natural ponds teeming with life, newts, tadpoles, frogs and dragonflies. We caught sticklebacks in the canal and grasshoppers in our hands, climbed trees to reach ‘conkers’ in horse chestnut trees, played in the river and dammed streams to create small lakes. I was aware of all the nuances of the changing seasons as different flowers and insects came and went through the calendar and was fascinated by it all.
Thick-legged flower beetle
I ‘m working mainly as a fine art photographer selling work at exhibitions, ‘Eclectia’ gallery and photographic studio at Brighton marina and through my website. I also undertake various commissions including Spotlight portraits for actors; you can contact me through my website which is www.colleenslaterphotography.co.uk.
RECENT WORK
I’ve been working on an ‘Underwater Flower’ series of photographs for the last three years. I’m fascinated by the sometimes ‘other worldly’ look of various flowers when submerged in water and have aimed to produce images that have something special in terms of colour and form. They formed a panel of work for which I was awarded an Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society in 2007.
White pelargonium
More recently, I’ve been working on a series of ambiguous, multi-layered images that engage the viewer in a visual game of interpretation. The images are as “found” and apart from the usual processing done to Raw files in Photoshop, they aren’t composed by using layers.
Window on the Palace Pier, 2
SALES INFO
The Underwater Flower Series is printed on 100% cotton 225gsm and 330gsm (for A2) matte, archival quality paper using a professional printer with ultra chrome pigment inks. Conservation quality materials are used for all prints which means the work is guaranteed against fading in normal conditions for a nominal 80 years.
EXHIBITIONS
Royal Photographic Society International Projected Image Exhibition
2012Runner-up in ‘Flowers and Plants’ competition ‘Outdoor Photography’ September 2010
Highly Commended, SPA Golden Jubilee Exhibition 2010
Winner of ‘Reflections’ competition ‘Outdoor Photography’ November 2009
Royal Photographic Society International Print 2009
Royal Photographic Society International Projected Image Exhibition 2008
The Grange, Rottingdean (Brighton & Hove Camera Club) 2006, 2007, 2008
Old Market Arts Centre Hove (Brighton & Hove Camera Club) 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Brighton Festival Exhibition, ‘Artist Open Houses’ (Hove Arts) 2006, 2007, 2008
Cleveland International Drawing Biennale 1975
I am trying to make contact with ex students of the Documentary Photography course in Newport. Were you a student in the 70′s? If so are you still in touch with any other ex students. I studied there from 82 to 84. I worked freelance for twenty od years (actually lived in Hove for over 15 years and know Neil Barstow). Now teaching full time on the Doc Phot course in Newport. Trying to arrange some kind of show/get together of ex students.
best,
Paul Reas