DOUG VAN HEMESSEN
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Philosophy
I am compelled to create and am visually oriented. Photography is simply my chosen medium. The content is informed by a deep curiosity about, and formal training in, geography – the essence of which is place and arrangement – and by a personal sense-of-place within the landscapes I find myself. A strong attraction to the natural world is another influence.
Style
My aesthetic constitution is a careful sense of composition using space, form, colour, and pattern. I am often more interested in the arrangement of those qualities rather than the specific subject of the photograph.
A sense of subtle irony is also a common ingredient. The work is further shaped by my exploration of photography as a “way of seeing” and its nature and role in the scope of fine art.
Technique
Currently: Fujifilm X-E1, 18-55mm F2.8-4R, 60mm F2.4 R Macro. Images are minimally processed in Photoshop. I print the images myself using an Epson Stylus PHOTO 2200.
Background
I grew up in Toronto and London, Canada and bought my first camera at sixteen. I have followed the photographic path, with some detours, since then.
Graduated from Bealart in London, Ontario with a major in photography in 1981. Spent some years working as a studio assistant and custom black and white printer in Toronto. I temporarily departed professional photography and completed Geography studies at Trent University in 1990.
Since then I’ve worked with a variety of conservation programs and groups over the past twenty-five years while continuing to explore photography. I currently live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Prices
Print prices vary by size. Framing (style and price) negotiated directly with the client.