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Blog of the week: Jonny Sutton - The Open College of the Arts

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Blog of the week: Jonny Sutton


It has been a few weeks since we have had a blog of the week, so I was grateful when photography tutor Derek Trillo drew my attention to Jonny Sutton‘s log for Art of Photography. Careful and considered, Jonny’s blog shows how he is combining course exercises with research and other practical work. Both Derek and I particularly liked the shot above, simply entitled ‘Rhythm’, it is a great example of taking a fresh look at the everyday.


Posted by author: Genevieve Sioka

11 thoughts on “Blog of the week: Jonny Sutton

  • Impressive work so far. I particularly like the set of images for Assignment 2. Think I need to start giving my blog more attention!
    Well done Jonny.

  • This blog is fantastic, the photography is brilliant, I wish I could produce work to that standard! Well done Jonny.

  • Caroline Dunn says
    Stunning!And like Mark, it makes me I think I ought to think about my nearly non-existent blog! I am not a photographer – utterly useless at that art form – but this has really inspired me. Thank you.

  • After seeing the comments so far I’m pleased I suggested Jonny for blog of the week. It is well-deserved.
    What is worth pointing out is what you cannot see in the images (although mentioned in the text), which is that Jonny hasn’t just had good ideas and talent then taken the shots. He’s also put a lot of work into reading, visiting exhibitions, thinking, viewing other peoples work online etc etc.
    There’s a lot of graft that’s gone on in parallel with his photography. This has helped to inform his work and to provide inspiration for his images.
    He photographs colour, line, shape, light, textures, composition NOT subjects. It is no coincidence that these properties form the basis of the first four assignments in TAOP.
    His choice of everyday objects shows that the subject isn’t what makes the shot, it’s the way that he shoots it. The subject is almost irrelevant (ever shot a central heating radiator anyone?). I sometimes hear the excuse that ‘there’s nothing to photograph near where I live’, or ‘I struggled to find subjects for this assignment’.
    The subjects are in the light, that strikes that surface, to show you something in a way you hadn’t seen it before – keep looking and shooting.

    • Thanks for emphasising that Derek. I sometimes ask myself why I’m spending so much time writing up my various bits of learning but I’m slowly realising how they’re falling into place and influencing my approach to photography. It’s taken seven months for that to happen.
      Jonny’s blog is a pleasure to read.

  • Congratulations to Jonny Sutton on his work and to Derek Trillo for putting it forward for publication. I hope that many students will mark, learn and inwardly digest as the saying goes because I have seen much evidence that the blog is not given the same priority and attention as the assignment work by many. The blog is an essential component of the learning experience and cannot be treated as an afterthought. That is why it carries 20% of the marks at assessment.

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