J Guy Taylor - Photographer

I’ve been peering through the viewfinder and releasing the shutter on various cameras for over forty years.  Early on, it was to document family events and vacations.  But over time my personal experience with photography as an art form began to deepen and broaden. Today, photography provides an essential creative outlet through which I express myself as an artist.

I’m particularly inspired by the work of great photographers like Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Irving Penn. My current work is influenced by active street photographers, including Phil Penman, Juergen Buergin, and Umberto Verdoliva.

Born in a small English country town, I grew up in a region steeped in history with rolling hills, picturesque villages and large expanses of farmland.  While I love this rural setting I’ve chosen to live in large cities and urban landscapes.  Is it because these places represent the polar opposite of where I grew up? Or is it the energy, excitement and endless opportunities they exude?  Whatever the reason, I’ve been lucky enough to make my home in a few of the world’s greatest cities including London, New York, Melbourne, Toronto, San Francisco and, today, Los Angeles. 

This is what drives my latest photographic mission… to explore these urban landscapes and observe the people who inhabit them.  I relish operating in unstructured environments and rarely venture outside without a camera in my hand. I strive to generate meaningful images that capture moments in time and trigger emotion - capturing moments of beauty from everyday life that may otherwise pass unnoticed.  I’m obsessed by the movement and textures of light, especially shadows, silhouettes, patterns and reflections.  I love strong lines & symmetry, and my work frequently features man-made objects, cityscapes and architecture.  I recently started generating more work in Black & White – inspired by the urgency, clarity and focus that only a well-crafted monochrome image can deliver.