Robert Herron's Statement of Intent

Robert Herron Statement of Intent/Visual Influences Isolation is a common theme that runs through my work. I am drawn to objects or people who don’t seem to properly fit into the space around them. I have always found this a very interesting topic to base my ideas for taking photographs. I am constantly experimenting with ideas, techniques and seeing other photographer’s work, to gain a greater understanding of what it means to photograph and what I want people to feel when they looking at my own images.

I mostly use film based methods to create images, my current favourite being medium format, both black and white and colour film, simply because the quality of the images are great and the portability of cameras that support medium format film are suitable and fairly easy to operate.

Whenever I use film based methods there is always a childlike sense of wonder and anticipation in not being able to see what you have just photographed, whereas when working with digital methods I feel less engaged. However I am starting to make more images using digital methods and it is slowly but surely being used more often when taking photographs.

I am Currently most influenced by the work of Robert Frank, especially his book ‘THE AMERICANS’ as it brings to life an authentic feel of the time in which he photographed, from capturing the objects of the time, people in the streets and at home to an essence of what living in 1950’s America was like.

Another very recent influence is Simon Norfolk whose photographs of Afghanistan particularly inspired me. Norfolk’s images not only helped me greatly in taking the photographs for my most recent project, but influenced the way I looked at the place I was photographing, by looking deeper into what I wanted to say with my images.