Stephen Williams

Late in the afternoon, as the sun set, Children wanted to show off for the camera to create a series of images expressing their irrepressible joy of life. The low sun created dramatic silhouettes of the poses they created

A calm late afternoon scene of a slow estuary crossing at Umngazi on the Wild Coast of South Africa with the low sun illuminating the vivid colours of the umbrllas.

The low light shining on the faces of the young African children on the beach at Umngazi on the Wild Coast of South Africa illuminates their incredibly natural beauty..

The low late autumnsun captures the joy of a child as his father flies a kite for him over the Camargue beach

Shot late afternoon into the low winter sun on the edge of water in the Camargue, a piece of flotsum is transormed into the curled body of an unborn child.

Reflections in the Camargue of a simple utility building transforms it into a mystical sun drenched castle looming over the waters.

A young child runs playing energetically along the pebbled beach on the East Sussex Coast, her silhouette captured by the low late afternoon sun.

A visitor to Venice stops for a moment to reflect on the beauty of a Venetian backwater.

Reflections of Gondolas paint a perfect impressionistic collage beneath the balconies and windows of surrounding buildings.

Reflections from windows, flags and gondolas in Venice abstract a pure study of light, colour and form.

For a fleeting moment the early morning sun illuminates the reflections of a barge in a canal in the Giudecca in Venice highlighting the vivid colours inspire the modern Venetian glass.

One in a series of studies of reflections in a Provencal Pool evoking images of native people in tribal dress

One in a series of studies of pool reflections examining the richness of colours from a clear pool under a low Provencal sun.

Reflections in a Provencal Pool creates a dynamic image of a raging Camargue Bull.

The generator for several series of studies of the colours, reflections and movement within a the clear waters of a Provencal pool.

Reflections beneath a bridge in the River Soane in Burgandy

Seen at an acute angle close to the water line, waves created by a small boat form an extraordinary pattern,

Reflections from the side of a ship in the harbour at oban set up intriging lines and colours in the clear blue loch waters

In the Drakensberg, bent reeds emerging from a mountain lake are illuminated by the early morning light to form a strange abstract pattern

In the Drakensberg Mountains, reeds in a calm lake are illuminated by the early morning mountain light

Reflections in backwaters in Kumarakom, Kerala express the rich colours of Southern India.

Water Lilies in Oslofjord under the cool northern light

The cool Scandinavian light illuminates the Oslofjord waters around island of Karlsoey as the sun breaking through the dark clouds plays with the reflectoons of the mast of a fishing boat.

Low light casting a shadow over a branch lying in the shallow waters pf a Provencal lake transform it into a daek forbidding owl in flight.

Taken at sunset over a flooded field in the Alpilles, this winter scene creates a golden image far removed from the conventional image of Provence.

Water Child 1_Wild Coast South Africa
Umngazi Crossing
Umngazi Children 1
Father & Son
Foetus 1
Castles in the Sea 1
Littlehampton Fun 1
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ven_150245172345edit.jpg
Gondola Impressions 1
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Tribe 1
Pool Studies in Green 14
Wild Bull
Still Life in Aqua
Philibert's Waves 1
Lismore Waves 2
Oban Song 4
African Cathedral 2
Reeds 1
Indian Flow
Water Lilies
Fjord Dances 1_Karlsoey
Water Owl 1
In the Drakensberg Mountains

Stephen Williams

British-born Photographer, and Sculptor, Stephen Williams now shares his time between Provence and London. Trained as an Architect, he designed luxury hotels over several decades both in the UK and internationally, where his photographs are often an integral part of the interior.  He travels widely but returns frequently to the pure light and evocative emotions of Provence for new inspiration, seeing this as a complementary contrast to the ethereal nature and cool light he captures in Northern Europe.

His work encompases a series of studies grouped within an overall description of ‘Reflections’,  ‘Abstractions’ and ‘Shadows’, exploring the extraordinary that can be abstracted from the world: capturing the beauty of the overlooked and often mundane and transfiguring the obvious into something astonishing. His images can evoke a strong emotional relationship with the subject without necessarily presenting a literal view.

 

Abstraction is a major element of his work, seeking elements of a place which will express the essential atmosphere and sense of it. It is a very personal approach seeking a subjective response to what he sees.

The complex interplay of object, form, colour and texture combined with sunlight, shadows and reflection is a key part of his interest, often simplified to extract the essence. Moving away from a simplistic representation, he seeks to make sense of what we are looking at in breaking down the subject in a painterly manner.

Water has become an obsession, looking wherever he goes to use the distortions and rhythms created by the motion of the water and the distorted reflections and refractions of light to create a magical world and grasp the spirit of the place.

He is becoming increasingly interested in people and their environment as can be seen in ‘Landscape’,  ‘Architecture’,  ‘People’ and ‘Nature’, with several collections devoted to traditional life and people in Provence. This has culminated in the expressions of pure human joy seen in his latest work during 2014 in South Africa, England and France observing young people’s response to the sea.



He shoots with a Canon 1DX using a Canon EF 24-70MM 1:2.8L zoom lens and also a 100-400 1:2.5-5.6L IS zoom lens. The longer lens is used for the majority of his work in this book. However, he does not overlook the uses of a simple companion compact camera always carried in his pocket to capture a fleeting moment that would otherwise be lost.

In 2015 he is complementing his photographs of Tamil Nadhu and Kerala with series from visits to Umbria and Venice to investigate the light and reflections of Italy as well as continuing studies in Provence, Scotland and South Africa.

Publications

The French Riviera: A Cultural History by Julian Hale

Illustrations together with Dorothy Bohm

“Water” to be published in 2015 to compliment his new solo exhibition at CirCa Gallery in Arles during “Les Rencontres d'Arles” International Photographic Festival

Solo Exhibitions:

2015     ‘Water’                       Circa, Arles

2014    ‘Reflections on Life’    Art Bermondsey, London

2004    ‘Abstractions’              Kensington & Chelsea ,2004

Publicly Displayed:

Sofitel Heathrow Hotel         Heathrow Terminal 5, London

Sofitel Spa                           Heathrow Terminal 5, London

Sofitel Conference               Heathrow Terminal 5, London

Albert Roux Restaurant       Heathrow Terminal 5, London

Arora International               Gatwick

Arora International               Manchester

Locations:

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stephenwilliams-studios.co.uk

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