Picture This - A Friendly Place to Improve Your Photography

The TV participants represent some of the UK’s most exciting new digital photography talent, chosen for their postings to this website in late 2007.

They’ll go head to head during the series, stretching their creative and technical abilities in challenging photography assignments assessed by a panel of famous industry judges.

And the most talented of the bunch will go on to win the title of Britain’s best new digital photographer, getting their work published in an exclusive book and showcased in a dedicated exhibition.

You’ll get the chance to view and comment on TV participants photos in detail on this site in the New Year and they may even drop by to comment on yours in return

Read more about the TV contestants below.

Aron Brown

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Biography

Aron Brown makes use of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, and intimidation to aid his position as an artist, musician, comedian, writer, actor, poet and filmmaker. He uses photography as the vehicle for the way his mind works, he has a passion for the absurdity in contemporary humour and his work combines distasteful material with a liberal art form commenting on political correctness while dealing with the obscurity in visual language and uses studied informality as a commentary on social etiquette.

He was born and raised in the small North Wales town of Caernarfon by a farmer and his wife and imbued with a strong moral compass during his infancy. He continued to live in the area until the end of college completing a vast variety of A-Levels including photography. When he came of age he moved to the city of Derby to pursue his degree in Fine Art Photography and after finishing his degree he continued to work in the city for Quad, Derby's new centre for visual arts and film.

Since entering the competition Aron has actively supported his team of friends - The Deirdres. He became an unlicensed pet detective for a short while and is actively endorsing the photography show 'Love and Rabbit Stew' in Derby. Aron has been working on "The Death of Clayton Bruce", is also currently working hard on his novel 'Midget Stalker'. He is in collaboration with Adam Marsh working on "Gasman & Chronicle - A Super Hero Seminar" and is currently in the early stages of collaborating on an art project with one of the midlands best artists - David Garratt, all the while working at Quad.

Why did you fall in love with photography?

I fell in love with photography completely by accident. For years it wasn't even "love", we were just seeing each other. It's only as I became more confident and realised what I wanted to do with my practice that I fell in love with it. I loved its medium between drawing and film. Drawing being a detachment from reality and film losing a moment 25 times every second. I loved the stillness and challenge that came from the mean between a comic doodle and a comedy sketch.

What/who influences you?

Not much influences me, saying that it's hard to ever switch off, everything has it's way of weaseling into my subconscious. As far as other artists go, not many penetrate my influential ozone layer. And those who do aren't even photographers and their work often doesn't even resemble my own but rather the attitude towards making work. I'm inspired by the work of David Garratt the public participation artist, Adam Marsh the film maker and the musical collective 'The Deirdres'.

What is your favourite photograph that you've captured and why?

I'd like to say my favourite photograph is one I haven't even taken yet, but I'm just not that much of a D*$%. To this day it remains to be one of the few photographs I haven't even labeled yet, it's the 'wheelchair one'. It does everything I wanted it to. I find it funny, aesthetically pleasing, I had fun doing it and it had that flavour of controversy that I enjoy.

What would your ideal photo shoot look like?

I'm not sure where I'm going with this yet... But the shoot itself would have 6 midgets, a small van filled to the brim with goats, a hot air balloon and on location with a lighthouse in the background and preferably tea and coffee making facilities in a 3 mile radius. Put in that situation, provided with a bucket of pens, paper, cardboard and various other stationary I could do wonders and I think anybody could produce a photograph I would love.

What is more important, creativity or technique?

I personally think that you can teach technique but you can't teach creativity. If you still have the right side of your brain you have all the tools you need, everyone's creative in their own way (unless they don't have said mentioned cerebral hemisphere). I'm personally more interested in original and imaginative work rather than aesthetically pleasing images. Saying that, why can't you have both? However, the left cerebral hemisphere may be required to accomplish this, they can easily be as important as each other.

What skills do you definitely need as a photographer?

A camera is more of a piece of equipment than a skill really, but that's all you need. Anyone can be a photographer, photography is easy and you'll often find that's there's always someone out there that will like your work, in my opinion it's more about your perspective and outlook toward why you take the photographs you do. I think on the most basic level a photograph has to be entertaining, the only skill you need is the skill of originality.

Are good pictures more the result of good planning or spontaneity?

Does a pint taste better if you plan to go out Saturday night or pop into the pub spontaneously on the way home from work? There's no definitive answer, I prefer to plan my images before taking them and this is how I often work, but I have had experiences in the past where some images that 'fell into my lap' have turned out a lot better than a coordinated shoot. I can't favour either nor can I say they are balanced, it depends completely on the photographer.

Which experiences did you gain during the tv show?

I got to work in a team of 6 very different photographers, I'd almost consider ourselves as The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers of photography, each bringing to the table something unique and learning from one another different skills and predilections towards photography which is an experience you'll almost never find in real life. We got a chance to flex each individual photographic muscle from one project to the next and looking back on it now it was fun being thrown into a mosh pit of assignments. Oh, I also got to dance.

Please leave a helpful comment here. When you give feedback make sure you let people know exactly what is great about their photo as well what does not work for you, always include useful suggestions on how the photo could be improved.

Ed Thompson said...

who watches the watchmen

Posted on 19/12/2007 23:52

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J L M said...

All that text and never ONCE did you mention your wife. You're such a tease Mr Brown.

Posted on 26/12/2007 22:48

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monkeyspoon said...

I just watched the first part of the show and love your concepts! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Posted on 07/01/2008 01:37

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Snorkiesnork! said...

Hello, tis vicky here I was in your interview, I was glad to see you in the show, well done. I think they edited you a little badly though!, Im looking forward to seeing the next episode, looks like you took it in your stride and had lots of fun.

Posted on 07/01/2008 02:14

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ryan_gameon said...

i wouldnt say that this program was up to its standards when i went to watch it i expected amazing photos, all these photos are pretty amateur from all the participants, theres a few that are actually good. but theres people in my school at a level that can do better than these contestants.

Posted on 10/01/2008 13:32

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ditajane said...

i agree totally

Posted on 13/01/2008 19:34

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goodhorsehymn said...

I would love to see those A level friends of yours doing better under the same time pressures. As we all know, A level students are the best!

Posted on 13/01/2008 22:48

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Daidoh said...

Sorry Aron, I don't get the 'joke' in your crack picture. I doubt the family do either.

Posted on 11/01/2008 10:45

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Paul Collins1 said...

I also don't think the family really knew what was going on,I'm really hoping the program is going to improve,I'm not really impressed at the moment, watching this sunday program 2, if there's no improvement, and I suspect there won't be,I'll be down the pub there on in.

Posted on 11/01/2008 20:33

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goodhorsehymn said...

From there on in? There's only one more episode, so you might as well see it through to the end. Surely your pint of Guinness can wait?

Posted on 13/01/2008 22:45

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goodhorsehymn said...

Aron's best was clearly not presented during the show. The time pressures don't suit him. He needs to be set free. Anyone who's ever seen his full portfolio (which is not up here for some reason) will realise that his pictures can be deeply amusing.

Posted on 13/01/2008 22:47

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ososment said...

don't tell me, it would have been a whole shit load better if you lot had been on it? meh. Jokers.

Posted on 13/01/2008 22:48

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Arby2 said...

To be honest Photography is not a sport. None of the creative arts should be taken that way... You can be techinicaly better than others, but then that's not the whole package. That's what is so good about photography, you're not always in control of everything, you rely on what's in the frame, and that can lead to some brilliant new ideas. Having watched a bit of the series It did seam that sometimes pressures might have stopped them taking natural pictures they would have shot, and pushed them to take the shots they thought others would want... which rarely really gives as true and image. You can always learn off others, whatever their abilities, and I've got some good inspiration from watching the series.

Posted on 14/01/2008 02:35

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Paul Collins1 said...

Yes the pint can wait, Aron they found you out!

Posted on 14/01/2008 15:49

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photoarc said...

You were cool Aron, proud of you!

Posted on 15/01/2008 01:04

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Peter Juerges said...

Hi...very brave to have a go...but that is what it seemed to be ...just having a punt. Question...what if those kids were on crack ? what if that womans' mother had / is a street cleaner? Did you ever find out...were you actually aware of these people as people or were they just props in a competition? Im sorry but for me the creative contrivance does not overcome the lack of simple understanding and story telling... Its as though you had no feeling for or interest in the event you were "documenting". I am sure that is not the case...and we know from the show that you had other images but based on what I see here I find it hard to see what you gave the judges to base realistic decisions on.

Posted on 15/01/2008 22:49

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