Jan Traylen

profile

Statement

Photography, ‘painting with light’, as the Victorian pioneers termed this then new discovery, continues to make technical progress as the field widens with unbridled imaginations.  However, when working in black & white I’m most interested in shooting on film, using the particular qualities which make up an image captured through a lens onto a light sensitive emulsion such as blur, depth of field, grain, movement, unpredictability and of course quality of light (and maybe even stealing your soul!). Digital capture is a brilliant technical continuation of photographic work but holds no magic for me: an innovation in search of a soul.

    •    My photographs are about emotion, connections and capturing fleeting moments. What captivates me and holds my attention inside a great photo is not easily explained but it is something to do with entering the photographer's mind. What are they seeing? Am I connected and therefore in a communication with the artist? Shared experiences bring a feeling of worth and 'being there'.
    •    Inspiration, for me and other photographers, is all around. Many like to have a camera at all times, not so hard now with the dreaded camera phones! The impact this has on my work is, in a way, a problem: editing. Are there the hours in the week to make hard decisions about the worth of a photo, treating the raw file in Photoshop (actually I like Lightroom) and uploading to my website? Having said that, quality of light is what it's all about. A sunny or moody period of weather will have me reaching for my camera.
    •    Over the years black and white photography held the key to unlock qualities mentioned in the first paragraph. The directness and lack of confusion of signals in B&W imagery still hold. The techniques are changing however. B&W negatives printed on silver bromide paper can show a superior material quality, different to a digitally captured image output to inkjet print. Still, I'm using digital photography also, converting the colour to greyscale, and 'playing with the curves'!

Looking for a traditional darkroom? Click on the link below....

www.bwbasement.com


 

 

Biography

*
1970-72Vocational photography, Plymouth College of Technology & Art
1972-74Diploma in photography, Harrow College of Technology & Art
*Travel photography in USA
2019Started a range of greeting cards for sale in local shops
*Assist performing arts photographer Zoƫ Dominic, London
*Travel photography-Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania
*Start documenting tree lives & landscapes in black & white.
*Sports photography - picture library's of Patrick Eagar & Phil Sheldon.
*Photograph theatrical productions, press & front-of-house.
*Travel to The Festival in the Desert, Mali, Africa.
*Actor portraits & video filming, The Actors One Stop Shop.
*then click on 'Slideshow' and view larger images
*Link to Saatchi, www.saatchionline.com/jantraylen
2011http://www.bwbasement.com (b&w darkroom, print your images on silver bromide)

Exhibition History

2017Doddiscombsleigh Art Show
2015Doddiscombsleigh Art Show
2014Wells Art Contemporary
2013Wells Art Contemporary
2005Art Bar Live exhibition, Exeter
*Africa Centre, London
*Contributing photographer to many shows at sporting venues
*Numerous photographs published in books and magazines
*A number of awards in sports photography and as specialist b&w printer (Ilford awards)
Link to fotoLibraEditorial photography can be seen at www.fotolibra.com/?user_id=6576 then click on 'Slideshow' and view larger images
Link to Saatchiwww.saatchionline.com/jantraylen
2011http://www.bwbasement.com (b&w darkroom. Print your images on silver bromide) traditional darkroom: Black & White Basement & Digital Studio. Tel: 020 7624 2245 or 2244