Abstract nominee

‘Photo-Synthetic’ is a body of work in four parts that explores notions of creation, and therefore creativity. Set in the broader context of a longstanding fascination and photo-exploration of the interaction between light and liquids I have used the interactions between oil, water and light to represent the phases of the evolution of life on this fragile planet. Life in a liquid state. There are four series that make up ‘Photo-Synthetic’: ‘Primordial’, ‘Metamorphosis’, ‘Enlightenment’ and ‘Illumination’ and these images are all taken from Primordial. The use of natural elements – liquids, heat, light, gases – resonates with the processes that led to the development of the first living things from base elements. The exploration therefore begins with ‘Primordial’, at the very beginning of time, where we find swirling worlds of green, brown and black with the occasional flash of blue sky. Strange weird animals can be sensed – like putting a hand deep into a cold and slimy pond.

Dr Robin Williams has had a distinguished photographic career that spans four decades on three continents. He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, the British Institute of Professional Photography, the Biological Photographic Association of America, and the Institute of Medical Illustrators. He holds undergraduate qualifications in both scientific and medical photography and Masters and PhD degrees in Medicine. He was a Professor of Photography for over 20 years. He has run workshops all over the world and taught and supervised hundreds of photography students at undergraduate and post-graduate levels in the UK, the USA, and Australia. He has published over 70 original papers and books and delivered more than 400 conference papers. His work can be found in galleries and private venues all over the world. Now retired, Dr Williams is pursuing his passion for photography as a landscape photographer.