© William Wilson

William writes 'Deciding on a single image that represents my style is very difficult, but when I'm asked what style of photography I prefer, monochrome comes instantly to my mind. With this thought for the Clydevalley net showcase I chose a recent monochrome from my portfolio of fine art photography.

A bit of background - I moved over to digital eighteen months ago. Although modern cameras have all the bells and whistles, I prefer be in control working with a hand held sekonic meter and in manual mode as I'm only interested in the raw data which is the digital negative. I pre-perceive the images in my mind prior to shooting seldom cropping thus avoiding any form of compromise in the transition from my visualisation, capture and the final print.

I try to recreate the chemical processes and traditional image rendering I was used to for some thirty odd years, by avoiding the gimmicky tools in most image editing software. I now feel I have achieved my goal with software tools in my workflow recreating the dodging and burning techniques of my darkroom days, however I would never consider returning to traditional film based photography.

The image - The image I chose is titled the "Crop Reaper". It typifies the dying trend of old mechanical farm implements that worked for decades without fear of failure, these are replaced by modern technical monsters and the countryside looses a little of it's history. In this image I try to capture that fading history and present the implement in it's own environment emphasising the lines and forms in a strong composition.

As I travel I'm always on the lookout for something special. In this case I was heading for the lighthouse at Stonehaven, when I passed the implement in the field I barely give it a second glance. On returning from the shoot I stopped and entered the field. The midday sun was high in a deep blue cloudless sky, the field was newly cut and I decided a low angle was called for to eliminate the emptiness and emphasis the shape against the sky. Choosing the wheel as the focal point and the repeating pattern of the teeth helped create a powerful composition. The shot was taken with monochrome in my mind and no filters the monochrome conversion is carried out in Photoshop using my own developed technique. The resulting image has an Infra red feel and the tones are beautifully represented on the final 20" x 16" print on heavy fine art photo rag matte paper. This image was hosted by the Tartan Gallery in the Edinburgh Festival Art Exhibition 2005, and is currently on display at The Wood Workings, Carnwath.

My passion - My passion is hopefully conveyed in this image and provokes a feeling of the times past in our countryside. The relics of the farming community are usually passed over but with imagination can be used in a artistic way that portrays the hidden and often missed beauty. '