Blog Review: Brian Brooks

Calvert, Texas, 2013
Photo by Brian Brooks (Copyright)

For the next couple of weeks, I plan to highlight some of the great photographers that I have found on the local blogosphere.  Today we continue this series by looking at Brian Brooks.  

It is normal human behaviour to categorize things.  Sometimes, however, it is better not to use labels, and to simply allow a person or object to speak for themselves.

The above thought crossed my mind as I scanned through the tumbler site of Ottawa-based photographer Brian Brooks.  His work cannot be pigeonholed in a single category, as his photos cover numerous subjects: e.g. haunting urban landscapes; thoughtful profile pictures; intriguing rock formations; beautiful artistic shots.  The location of his pictures also vary with such places as Texas, Montreal, Ottawa, Mexico and Australia.

Photo by Brian Brooks
(Copyright)

"The goal of my blog and my photography in general is pretty straightforward," Brooks tells me in an email.  "I love making images, share how I see the world with others and experience how other artists view their world.

"I use photography as a way to slow down and take notice of things that usually go unseen or if they are seen, are easily dismissed as we are busy rushing from one place or another, worried about making that meeting or taking care of our daily needs. The idea for me is to stop, reflect and find quality in the everyday objects that surround us or to move in closer and take an object out of its context which leads to abstractions that the viewer can then interpret for themselves what it means to them."

Photo by Brian Brooks
(Copyright)

Brooks' description of his work as slowing down time is something I agree with.  For instance, in his profile pictures, such as of the woman above (click here for original) or the young boy on the right (click here for original), the viewer is left with the feeling of being suspended in time.

This feeling of timeliness is also echoed in many of his artistic shots, such as the photograph at the top of this post (original here).  Is this a front porch?  An interesting storefront?  An image from a museum exhibit?  The vagueness of the picture allows the mind to roam for meaning.

Photo by Brian Brooks
(Copyright)

Another aspect of Brook's work that I enjoy is his ability to take normal objects and transform them into abstract images.  As a case in point, consider the photograph on the left (original here), which is a close up of a pole covered in the remains of old flyers that have been stapled.  What would normally be a boring, perhaps even grimy object, is suddenly transformed into a beautiful and interesting image.

"In general the subjects I photograph may seem odd and I certainly get a lot of stares from passers-by when I am photographing dumpsters, sides of walls or rocks but there is a inherent beauty in these objects that we otherwise would dismiss," says Brooks, who studied photography at East Texas State University.

Photo by Brian Brooks
(Copyright)

Picking up on Brooks' reference to rock walls, I really enjoy his frequent shots of rock patterns, such as the photograph on the right (original here).  For many people boulders and rocks are uninteresting objects. Through Brook's camera lens, however, they are transformed into intriguing and colourful abstract images.

Thanks to the Internet, these excellent photographs can be easily accessed in a way that was not possible 20 or 30 years ago. This is a good thing, for this photo-blog is definitely worth checking out.

"Through social media and specifically tumblr I have been inspired by others photographer's work and have found it satisfying that others appreciate my images as well," says Brooks. "It is a very special age we live in where we can instantly share our images with people the world over and develop relationships where we can discuss our images and art in general."