Welcome to my website
A love of urban architecture and an abiding interest in the city of Wakefield's culture and architecture inspires much of my work. For me the creative process begins when I stop and observe quietly amongst the hubbub of modern city life as a way of identifying unexpected areas of beauty and interest.
I am interested in the old and new city landscape along with the dynamic chainge that brings elements which we may take for granted to the forefront and I question the assumptions we make about the aesthetic value of the world around us.
My interest in photography started with the purchase of my first camera at fifteen years of age and at twenty five I attended night classes at Wakefield college where I studied photography and learned how to develop and print black and white photographs. Following on from this I joined Wakefield Camera Club which at the time met at Holmfield House in Wakefield park. The standard of my photography rapidly improved and I soon began to win competitions.
However, the loss of my darkroom when I later moved house resulted in me spending less time on my hobby. My interest was later rekindled in 1997 when I invested in my first computer and film scanner which enabled me to scan slides and negatives onto the computer and to manipulate them using Photoshop Deluxe before printing using my photo printer. Needless to say at this time the digital camera was in its infancy in the consumer market. By the time I invested in a digital camera I had already mastered the art of editing digital images in Photoshop.
Nowadays, as a self taught digital photographer and printer I am able print to a high standard to produce the best quality Giclee prints of my images using pigment inks and high quality paper and I find being able to control the process of profiling and printing from start to finish a rewarding art in itself.
Since my retirement I have developed a passion for painting and experimenting with colour and different mediums. I am a self taught painter and a member of Wakefield Art Club and am at present attempting to bring back the art of painting posters in contrast to producing them on a computer, gathering inspiration from 1930's posters painted by one of the leading art teachers of the day, A E Helliwell, a professional design educationist in the 1920's -1940's who designed publicity material for the war effort and later the London Underground.
Brian Holding
I am interested in the old and new city landscape along with the dynamic chainge that brings elements which we may take for granted to the forefront and I question the assumptions we make about the aesthetic value of the world around us.
My interest in photography started with the purchase of my first camera at fifteen years of age and at twenty five I attended night classes at Wakefield college where I studied photography and learned how to develop and print black and white photographs. Following on from this I joined Wakefield Camera Club which at the time met at Holmfield House in Wakefield park. The standard of my photography rapidly improved and I soon began to win competitions.
However, the loss of my darkroom when I later moved house resulted in me spending less time on my hobby. My interest was later rekindled in 1997 when I invested in my first computer and film scanner which enabled me to scan slides and negatives onto the computer and to manipulate them using Photoshop Deluxe before printing using my photo printer. Needless to say at this time the digital camera was in its infancy in the consumer market. By the time I invested in a digital camera I had already mastered the art of editing digital images in Photoshop.
Nowadays, as a self taught digital photographer and printer I am able print to a high standard to produce the best quality Giclee prints of my images using pigment inks and high quality paper and I find being able to control the process of profiling and printing from start to finish a rewarding art in itself.
Since my retirement I have developed a passion for painting and experimenting with colour and different mediums. I am a self taught painter and a member of Wakefield Art Club and am at present attempting to bring back the art of painting posters in contrast to producing them on a computer, gathering inspiration from 1930's posters painted by one of the leading art teachers of the day, A E Helliwell, a professional design educationist in the 1920's -1940's who designed publicity material for the war effort and later the London Underground.
Brian Holding