Wilderness New York, by Jonathan Brierley.
15% of the sale of this print goes to Bowery Mission.
Jonathan Brierley is a British photographer and designer working out of Manhattan, New York. Using photography as his medium, Jonathan explores a more traditional aesthetic handed down by masters both old and new, as well as incorporates some of the more advanced modern techniques for a different take on everyday subjects.
Having founded his website, Life at Waist Height, Jonathan has enjoyed a growing appreciation from established fine arts groups, StarkMagazine, and large social networking sites. The website also provides him with a platform to share his advanced new techniques with photographers both new and old.
Going further, Jonathan looks to explore the work of many talented up and coming photographers while giving them a platform to share their work, as well as exploring what makes the well-revered modern greats so successful.
About the print:
Wilderness New York was taken in Central Park the morning after the blizzard Nemo hit the city. The night before, I had braved the storm to photograph some of my most recognizable pieces. I was surprised to see that there were quite a few other people out still trying to have a normal evening - taking a stroll with friends or walking their dogs. That ended fairly early, though, as the ice started to form.
The next day the city was covered in an icy blanket. Along with the rest of Manhattan, I decided to explore Central Park, to see it transformed by the storm. A lot of the park was almost impassable, including the area by these trees. The sky overhead felt like it was still recovering from the storm and there was only one other person around where there would normally be dozens.
This particular view onto the park was quite unique on that day. It’s hard to look in any direction in the park and not see at least a portion of the city skyline poking through the trees, but today was different. The snow acted like a kind of shield on the park, creating an almost perfect feeling of an isolated wilderness. This shot aims to convey that wilderness and a sense of knowing curiosity for any New Yorker familiar with the busier views of Central Park.
This print is available in multiple sizes. It was digitally signed by the artist. The 8x10 and 11x14 prints are numbered by The Working Proof, and the 16x24 prints come with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Learn more here.
What has inspired you recently?
I am constantly inspired by the never ending flow of photography today. From social networks, news sites, professionals, to enthusiasts - there’s a never ending flow of new ideas, styles, and techniques made possible by the availability of great equipment at lowering prices or built into phones.
I believe that anything that inspires someone to pursue their creativity further is a good thing, and that once you step into the world of photography you realize just how much more there is to learn beyond the first few steps: It’s incredibly exciting to see everyday.
Why did you choose to pair Bowery Mission with your print?
I’ve chosen to pair this work with the Bowery Mission. Their work in New York is inspiring and something that immediately comes to mind when I think back to the storm. Anyone without proper shelter that night would not have fared well, and it is down to charities like The Bowery Mission to ensure that individuals are spared from some of the worst New York has to offer, and instead to show them some of the best.
How have you seen art transform the world around you?
Everything today is online. Our entire modern life circulates around an intricately woven world where we share our days with our friends, we work and we manage our lives. As time has gone on, this world has seen a transformation of sorts. Photographs, music, even sketched or sculpted works of art are now fully established in this electric cloud that surrounds us all. Even the shells that surround this artwork have become more beautiful.
No more are we satisfied with the most basic ways to view this new world, to which we have all slowly succumbed, but instead we want it to be beautiful and we want it to excite us in ever-changing ways. The products we use on the internet have their own changing fashions, the applications we love their own style and form. No longer are we simply satisfied with the content or the art itself - we want the shell it's held in to be beautiful, too. A gilded frame for the masterpiece we are to observe.
This is where I have seen art and design slowly change our world - bringing more elegance into our lives every day, in the most unexpected of places.
If you could pick one artist to mentor you, who would it be?
The list of people I admire goes on, but the mentors I long for change over the years as I learn more and more. My most recent hero of photography is Ming Thein, a professional product photographer and impassioned artist. He has a unique perspective and incredible technical skill, resulting in images that feel so uniquely crystal clear.
He possesses a staunchly realistic view on the world and a philosophical heart. To have the opportunity to learn directly from him would be a privilege.
He possesses a staunchly realistic view on the world and a philosophical heart. To have the opportunity to learn directly from him would be a privilege.
Who are some artists you think people should know about?
There are so very many kinds of photography that to point to just a handful of artists barely scratches the surface for me. When it comes to street photography both William Klein (Tate Gallery Youtube) and Vivian Maier are a must to know about. Both have such incredible life stories and really provide an inspiring richness and life to reportage and street photography.
Trey Ratcliff is a very well known modern great and is a man who perfected and then brought the HDR technique to the masses. His style is a twisted take on the traditional with a very modern twist.
Over at Reuters we see some professionals who really go the extra mile, their photography blog is a constant flow of inspiration and, sometimes shocking, views on the world. They really represent some of the best talent in the world today who demonstrate that an image doesn’t always have to be ‘perfect’ to be evocative.
Finally, for a slightly different take, David Ward is an incredibly talented fine art photographer who uses rich textures and impeccable technique to provide something so visually interesting that it will never get old. A rare talent today indeed and definitely an incredible level of skill to aspire to.
