On the 7th October 2021 I was delighted to be made a Fellow of The Royal Photographic Society. On this page I have laid out the statement of intent, the 21 image panel and the individual images.
Statement of intent: Out of Darkness
In January 2017 I made the first of seven expeditions into the Gobi Desert of northern China. Having travelled hundreds of miles off road I found myself in a remote and hostile environment where at night the temperatures fell to -26C.
The emptiness of the landscape, while at first daunting, seduced me, asking questions and demanding engagement on an intimate level.
Leaving my tent in the dim light before dawn, I would climb to 1600 feet above an endless vista, devoid of scale apart from the occasional scrubby bush. For a while, the cool, frosted shadows would resist, but finally succumb to the delicate kiss of sunrise and daybreak. I became very much aware of my changing emotions and perspectives as I watched the landscape emerge from darkness into light.
The interplay of luminosity, contrast, colour, geometry and space opened my eyes to a new way of seeing and photographing.
Out of Darkness Gallery
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Awe inspiring images! Remarkable images with such a beautiful soothing energy. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your amazing journey and work.
These are beautiful Alister! Can’t wait for the book to come out.
What a wonderful body of work, congratulations.
Congratulations Alister, well deserved. Your portfolio of 21 images is simply, excellent. No words can describe the emotion I felt when seeing the 21 – from the absolute raw contrast of the most early pre-dawn sculptures to the soft high-key later-day images. I’ve been to Death Valley several times, hoping to find such landscape details to photograph, but to date lacking compared to what I wanted. I’ve purchased your Luminosity & Contrast, and The Meaning of Colour, both of which are truly inspiring. I’ve personally known 3 gentlemen who were FRPS and fellow members of Toronto Focal Forum – a print group in Toronto. Both were most inspirational and keen to pass on their knowledge! Keep up your writings and photography – to inspire us older types and newbies alike.
What an extraordinary collection, Alister–congratulations! #21 is very special. I can’t wait for the book!