Long exposures by Rohan Reilly

I first became very interested in photography when I moved to Barcelona 7 years ago. I spent a lot of time appreciating art there, especially the museums of Picasso and Joan Miro, and the Salvador Dali museums in Figueres and Cadaques, but it was the architecture of Antoni Gaudi and Santiago Calatrava amongst others that really inspired me.

I had previously been involved in music so photography was a completely new way of expressing myself. I adapted from using my ears to working with my eyes. Whether it was the music I played and released or the images I created, I consider them both extensions of me and my personality.

These days, whilst architecture is still very important to me, I am inspired by the natural beauty of the mountains, lakes, waterfalls and rugged coastlines around me. I currently live in a remote fishing village on the South West coast of Ireland. I quite often have to travel from here to pursue certain projects. I love heading out with my bag, maps and ideas and hoping for the right weather, and really enjoy spending time on my own and discovering a scene, looking for my angle, looking for the aura, the essence and the personality. It is then that I try and capture it and develop it in my own style which I consider as earthy and organic but also otherworldly. I usually have certain ideas and themes for these projects as I set out, but it is also the surprise elements that can be the most fruitful.

I aim to find smooth compositions, clean lines, and strong shapes. I use long exposures in my work to draw out the essential elements of a scene and I like to focus on the textures, shapes and forms. I work in black and white, which I think of as the first step away from reality. I see in black and white now, colour is just a distraction whereas black and white is an abstraction and that’s what attracts me to the monochrome format. I like to create moods in my landscapes such as serenity, solitude, melancholy, hope, wonder, or a combination of these. I make quite minimal compositions to give the viewer a space to get lost in and reflect for a moment. Flat and soft light are my preferred conditions, with fog and mist being particular favourites. It is in this weather I can work the tones to create the contrasts I need for my images.

I have been influenced by many photographers but I especially look to Michael Kenna and Ansell Adams for inspiration. They both have a connection and an affinity to the landscapes they are shooting and whilst my images are quite different emotionally and aesthetically, I find these two photographers the most exciting and challenging for me. [Official Website]

Photography has taught me so much about myself and has given me so much personal satisfaction. I work on each stage from the planning, the vision, the actual technical decisions at the scene, to the processing and then the printing and mounting. It is that final moment that is most rewarding, as I hang a print on my wall at home and the journey is over