Chris Shaw

Chris Shaw is a photographer who mainly creates black and white imagery. He is well known for collaborating with smaller, independent artistes for different series’. His work is mostly negative based and it is well known he likes to develop images himself due to the connection he can form between the material and the photograph to create a meaningful image which is more powerful to the audience and feels as though it has more purpose.

Chris Shaw studied at West Surrey College of Art and Design, which is now called university of creative arts. However he got asked to leave as a result of bad behaviour. This lead him to take photographs of the area around him called the Sandy hill housing estate.

In a interview Chris Shaw said how he would go to this Estate to escape from the rich kids he would have to see at, and around class. In the same interview he said “Maybe it was just all in my head, but I felt like I was going there every day as a reaction and using the camera to speak to normal people.” To me this idea is clearly captured within this series as it is obvious the characters in it are just carrying out their everyday ‘average’ lives, however the images produced have a intriguing and interesting feel.

This series includes snapshots of objects and individuals carrying out their everyday lives. What stands out to me about this series is how he would record parts of conversations with the residents in the photos which stood out, as well as feelings and objects which were significant to the photo. This formed a scrapbook feel which I really like the idea of. He would write these at the time in the back of his note book then when he has the images he would write them on the edge of the page and even over the top of some of the images. Bu doing this he creates a image which isn’t just a person or a object it gives them personality and forms a stronger connection between the image and the audience.

Here are some images from the “Retrospecting Sandy Hill” series.

I really like how images have been torn up and stuck down as I think it creates a interesting feel when looking at the image and inflicts more character upon them. I also like how the paper is a cream colour. This makes the white of the photo paper stand out more. For my photo shoots inspired by chris shaw I am going to rip the edges of my favourite images to reflect his work, as well as I want my models to look like they are ‘normal’ by carrying out everyday tasks and natural poses.

These are my favourite images from my own shoot.