Often drawn to the water, contemporary landscape photographer Peter John Fellows finds himself seeking out those magic moments.
For an artist known and admired for his coastal scenes, contemporary landscape lens exponent Peter John Fellows was born in 1955 in the rural village of Dosthill, Staffordshire. Fellows’ relationship with his rural habitat led to his interest in photography during his formative years, as he explains: “At the age of five, the gift of an Agfa compact camera from my German Grandfather proved to be the catalyst for a passion for photography. The ‘magic’ of that event remains undiminished from those early years.”
After spending several years pursuing a career in interior design, Fellows found that he couldn’t ignore the pull of his passion and made his way back to photography. “Whilst almost exclusively a solitary pursuit,” he explains, “photography allows me to fully immerse and engage with my surroundings. There are always photographic challenges and opportunities.”
Large, dramatic open bodies of water seem to be a default setting for Fellows, with a particular fondness for coastal-fringed landscapes. “Opportunities arise when all the key elements (light, subject, composition) appear almost as a ‘gift’,” he continues, “but on far more occasions, investigation and patience are required for the final reward. An understanding of light is fundamental.” Fellows’ background in surface and interior design has a strong bearing on his imagery and provided a welcome legacy in his creation of photographic art. Lines, pattern, texture and graphic composition are pervading themes.
“I’m not one for blinding my audience with the technical, I hope my images speak for themselves, but needless to say, superior optics are required to achieve the ultimate result. I am often asked ‘how do you see?’, for which I have no simple answer. We all have our own individual vision; photography allows me to share my personal view of our surroundings. Life is full of surprises; this is also the joy of photography as it is often wholly unpredictable. I remember with fondness both the excitement and apprehension of returning from long trips, loaded with rolls of film to process, hoping that my efforts had been rewarded, that some of my memories had been captured safely.”
Fellows’ work features in private collections worldwide, and in corporate collections in the UK and on the Continent. Works on offer are exclusively limited edition, with bespoke framing available. His work has also been made available worldwide with renowned publisher te Neues Verlag of Germany. All images © Peter John Fellows 2024.