Untitled Document

I have just finished a new artists book of photographs of Christchurch from the time I moved here until recently, pre earthquakes, however the images are primarily from the early days soon after I moved here in 1998. At that time my photographs were mostly landscapes and abstracts, so unlike my other work of the time the photographs in this book were taken without much intent or thought for how, or even if, they would ever be used, they were simply observations of a new place.
Now of course after several thousand earthquakes they have become a record of places totally gone or drastically altered.

“Christchurch 1998-2011” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 88 B&W photographs. Edition of 50 signed and numbered artist produced books $400

There are just three books left in this edition priced at $1000 which includes an original print from the book

“Urbanity” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 76 B&W and color photographs. price $395

Urbanity, a word that does not exist, represents my observations of the urban landscape where I now live and have made home for the last 12 years. Altered by man, by time, and myself. Altered by my camera, in my darkroom, and in my computer, urbanity is what I see when I look at where I live. A place usually filled with people, but stripped of them! I’m drawn to observe this environment without people, to look at the marks we make both intentionally and otherwise. The small details of the urban environment explain so much about us, but they also become ambiguous when we are absent, they show us where we came from and where we are going and what has become important to us, as well as that which is no longer valued.
The markings that dictate the order we must live by seem pointless or even decorative when those they are intended to direct are absent. Street signs and markings direct nobody, Graffiti neither offends nor pleases, and becomes one with the signs of advertising! Without people the urban landscape allows me to examine how things became as they are, to see clearer how urban life has evolved, and I realize how aesthetics have become increasingly less important as order becomes increasingly more important. The city is a canvas for Architects, Taggers, Artists, Urban Designers, Councillors, and Governments, all believing they have the right and are right, when in reality with hindsight very few ever actually are. Take away the people and we are free to alter anything as we wish without effect, as order only exists for us. So I see, I record, and if I like I alter, this is my urbanity, it is what I see when I walk in the city.

“Melbourne” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 65 B&W and color photographs. price $400

In the years 2005-6-7 I spent a few weeks each year photographing in Melbourne Australia. The purpose of these trips, apart from simply experiencing and photographing in a new and unfamiliar environment, was to discover how and what I would be drawn to photograph. My work has always been very much informed by distance and the associated personal and professional isolation that results from living in New Zealand. I am always interested to see how this isolation transfers photographically when I’m away from home.
During one Melbourne trip I visited a Bill Henson retrospective exhibition. I was immediately drawn to his photographs as I felt from them a similar feeling of detachment, that of someone constructing photographs that express a sense of their personal place in the world. Seeing Henson’s photographs had a big influence on my work, and for a short time it was almost as though I was looking at Henson's Melbourne through his eyes. While this may sound strange or plagiaristic even, for me it was about being even more detached than ever, strangely it allowed me to see more clearly what I wanted to see.

“Persepolis” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 28 B&W and color photographs. price $250

Founded by Darius I in 518 B.C., Persepolis was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It was built on an immense half-artificial, half-natural terrace, where the king of kings created an impressive palace complex inspired by Mesopotamian models. In the year 2000 when we were there tourists were few, and restrictions on what one could do or where one could go, where virtually nonexistent. It was a privileged, and unusual experience, for us to be able to walk freely among such ruins without restraint. To have the opportunity to photograph such a place without restraint was an even greater privilege, and one that I imagine is becoming rarer by the day. Experiencing Persepolis makes you realize how young we are in New Zealand, and also how insignificant the majority of the architecture of our time is.
Saith Darius the King: By the favour of Ahuramazda these are the countries which I seized outside of Persia; I ruled over them; they bore tribute to me; what was said to them by me, that they did; my law-that held them from; Media, Elam, Parthia, Aria, Bactria, Sogdinia Chorasmia, Drangiana, Arachosia, Sattagydia, Gandara, Sind, Amyrgian, Seythians, Scythians, with pointed caps, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, Armenia, Cappadocia, Sardis, Ionia, Scythians who are across the sea, Skudra, petasos wearing Ionians, Libyans, Ethiopians, men of Maka, Carians.

“BUS STOP 23955” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 93 B&W photographs. price $400

	Doc Ross Books I have just finished a new artists book of photographs of Christchurch from the time I moved here until recently, pre earthquakes, however the images are primarily from the early days soon after I moved here in 1998. At that time my photographs were mostly landscapes and abstracts, so unlike my other work of the time the photographs in this book were taken without much intent or thought for how, or even if, they would ever be used, they were simply observations of a new place. Now of course after several thousand earthquakes they have become a record of places totally gone or drastically altered. “Christchurch 1998-2011” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 88 B&W photographs. Edition of 50 signed and numbered artist produced books $400 There are just three books left in this edition priced at $1000 which includes an original print from the book “Urbanity” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 76 B&W and color photographs. price $395 Urbanity, a word that does not exist, represents my observations of the urban landscape where I now live and have made home for the last 12 years. Altered by man, by time, and myself. Altered by my camera, in my darkroom, and in my computer, urbanity is what I see when I look at where I live. A place usually filled with people, but stripped of them! I’m drawn to observe this environment without people, to look at the marks we make both intentionally and otherwise. The small details of the urban environment explain so much about us, but they also become ambiguous when we are absent, they show us where we came from and where we are going and what has become important to us, as well as that which is no longer valued. The markings that dictate the order we must live by seem pointless or even decorative when those they are intended to direct are absent. Street signs and markings direct nobody, Graffiti neither offends nor pleases, and becomes one with the signs of advertising! Without people the urban landscape allows me to examine how things became as they are, to see clearer how urban life has evolved, and I realize how aesthetics have become increasingly less important as order becomes increasingly more important. The city is a canvas for Architects, Taggers, Artists, Urban Designers, Councillors, and Governments, all believing they have the right and are right, when in reality with hindsight very few ever actually are. Take away the people and we are free to alter anything as we wish without effect, as order only exists for us. So I see, I record, and if I like I alter, this is my urbanity, it is what I see when I walk in the city. “Melbourne” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 65 B&W and color photographs. price $400 In the years 2005-6-7 I spent a few weeks each year photographing in Melbourne Australia. The purpose of these trips, apart from simply experiencing and photographing in a new and unfamiliar environment, was to discover how and what I would be drawn to photograph. My work has always been very much informed by distance and the associated personal and professional isolation that results from living in New Zealand. I am always interested to see how this isolation transfers photographically when I’m away from home. During one Melbourne trip I visited a Bill Henson retrospective exhibition. I was immediately drawn to his photographs as I felt from them a similar feeling of detachment, that of someone constructing photographs that express a sense of their personal place in the world. Seeing Henson’s photographs had a big influence on my work, and for a short time it was almost as though I was looking at Henson's Melbourne through his eyes. While this may sound strange or plagiaristic even, for me it was about being even more detached than ever, strangely it allowed me to see more clearly what I wanted to see. “Persepolis” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 28 B&W and color photographs. price $250 Founded by Darius I in 518 B.C., Persepolis was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It was built on an immense half-artificial, half-natural terrace, where the king of kings created an impressive palace complex inspired by Mesopotamian models. In the year 2000 when we were there tourists were few, and restrictions on what one could do or where one could go, where virtually nonexistent. It was a privileged, and unusual experience, for us to be able to walk freely among such ruins without restraint. To have the opportunity to photograph such a place without restraint was an even greater privilege, and one that I imagine is becoming rarer by the day. Experiencing Persepolis makes you realize how young we are in New Zealand, and also how insignificant the majority of the architecture of our time is. Saith Darius the King: By the favour of Ahuramazda these are the countries which I seized outside of Persia; I ruled over them; they bore tribute to me; what was said to them by me, that they did; my law-that held them from; Media, Elam, Parthia, Aria, Bactria, Sogdinia Chorasmia, Drangiana, Arachosia, Sattagydia, Gandara, Sind, Amyrgian, Seythians, Scythians, with pointed caps, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, Armenia, Cappadocia, Sardis, Ionia, Scythians who are across the sea, Skudra, petasos wearing Ionians, Libyans, Ethiopians, men of Maka, Carians. “BUS STOP 23955” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 93 B&W photographs. price $400 Bus Stop 23955 is a collection of pictures taken from my door and window of the bus stop directly out front of my studio, it is the end result of 3-4 years photographing and about 600-700 photographs.. All the pictures were un-posed and rarely were the people aware of being photographed. It is simply an observation of people in what is normally a non eventful moment in their lives. The book is printed on archival 180gsm matt paper, with archival pigment inks, and hard bound by McHargs bookbinders here in Christchurch.
	“Serene & Brutal” Hardcover, 310mmx310mm, 65 photographs in B&W and color. price $400 Serene and Brutal is a collection of photographs primarily from New Zealand, juxtaposed against images from the Middle East and Europe, primarily Belgrade in Serbia. It has taken me many years to understand that what interests me photographically is primarily a feeling of being alone in the world, a feeling that regardless of Loves, friends, family and associates, we are all intrinsically alone in the world to make our choices and decide who we are, or will, or can be. This feeling is represented in most of my photographs in some form. Here in Serene and Brutal it is in empty or virtually empty, Urban, Oceanic and Landscape spaces. Our beautiful isolation contrasted with the rest of the world, an often brutal world that is the reality of so many people, like my friend Tanja in Belgrade, who has never known the peace and prosperity we take for granted in her 29 year life! What is serene and what is brutal becomes almost ambiguous in many of the pictures, asking the question are you safer turning your back on the ocean or the city? The book is printed on archival 180gsm matt paper, with archival pigment inks, and hard bound by McHargs bookbinders here in Christchurch.

	South Island landscapes book is printed on archival 180gsm matt paper, with archival pigment inks, and hard bound by McHargs bookbinders here in Christchurch. Hardcover, 310mmx310mm 100 photographs in B&W and color, Introductory price $400 Pages shown here ready to be trimmed for binding