by Yvette Depaepe 
Published the 22nd February 2021

 
Wayne Pearson  is a long time member of1x and excels in architecture/abstract photography which is his passion. To him, abstract art is very subjective, as we all see the world around us individually. His ethos is that one does not have to fully understand or be able to identify what one is looking at, but to simply like or dislike what we see.

Let's listen to his narrative and wander together through his work today!

'Bikie Heaven

I became a Hairdresser from the age of 15 years, so I was immersed in a very creative environment, specialising in cutting ultra modern precision haircuts, being inspired by my hero Vidal Sassoon, who revolutionised the techniques, styles and attitudes to Hairdressing in the early 1960’s. I owned my own salons from the age of 24 and retired from Hairdressing about 5 years ago. Over the last 20 years or so, photography has become my main interest and was a natural extension for my creativity and which has now become my enduring passion.

I am naturally attracted to shapes, colour and textures. I see this wonderful combination everywhere in the form of architectural abstract photography. Thank heavens for the creative skill and courage of all the innovative architects in the world, who have the incredible ability to imagine designing a building beyond a box with a few windows.

I have learnt to walk slowly through my city and in many locations around the world, and most of all to remember to look up as many photographic opportunities are missed by just looking ahead. Another approach that I use is to isolate sections of a building in my imagination and through my lens, because sometimes we can become overwhelmed by not seeing the forest for the trees. Abstract art is very subjective, as we all see the world around us individually. My ethos is that one does not have to fully understand or be able to identify what one is looking at, but to simply like or dislike what we see.

My passion is architectural abstract photography, but having a hairdressing background, I also love interesting faces, not just fashion magazine photography that emphasises beauty, but the faces of people who have lived a challenging life, and whose face tells a story through their expression and through their eyes.

One of my favourite photographs is of an elderly woman (with her permission ) taken in Myanmar. She has lived a hard life living in a small isolated mountain village without any modern luxuries such as clean running water and electricity. Looking at her eyes, I imagine that she suffers with Glaucoma, which is very common in underdeveloped countries, but her smile and her very expressive face lights up everything around her.

'Amazing Face'

I really like most styles of photography from macro, landscapes and portraiture, but of course my absolute favourite is architectural abstract photography as you can see by my portfolio. I can’t tell you why I have this attraction to shapes, colours and textures, but I do!

There are many photographers on 1x who inspire me every time I see their work. I prefer not to name them because I fear that I might forget an individual, but they know who they are as I regularly let them know how much I admire their work. Their photographs sometimes take my breath away because they are so good.

1x is the only photographic website that I subscribe to, the main reason being the incredibly high standard, but also that 1x does not publish every photograph that is submitted to them, and so the high standard creates an even higher benchmark in the photographic community. OK, I get frustrated when an image of mine is rejected, and believe me there have been hundreds of rejections, but I always learn from them. I try to find a way to improve on my rejections and convert them into an accepted published image. I remember my very first publication on 1x, I was so excited that it's a wonder the whole world didn’t hear me Yeeeeeehaaaa! I still get very excited when a new image is published and read all the wonderful messages of congratulations and support.

The most exciting news that I received out of the blue from 1x was an email from Thomas Brindt telling me that one of my architectural abstract photos had been chosen to be featured on the cover of the annual Year Book for 1x in 2017.

I thought it was some kind of joke, but to my surprise and elation it was true! Here I am from a smallish city, Adelaide, Australia, submitting my images and trying to have them published, and I get this unbelievable news being featured on the front cover of 1x!
It was a mixed feeling of emotions really, because on one hand I was totally blown away being on the front cover, but on the other, not feeling worthy of the honour of being on the front cover of 1x, as there were so many more photographers whose work was so much better than mine. In the end I decided to embrace the honour and enjoy the moment.

'Gritty Palace'

I have always used Nikon cameras and lenses and I love and use a D850 with Nikon 70/200mm 2.8, 14/24mm Nikon 2.8 and a Micro 105mm Nikon 2.8 lenses. I also use DxO and Nik software when needed, and the front cover Black and White image for 1x was processed with Nik Software. My favourite paper for printing is Hahnemuhle German Etching and Photo Rag and Canson high gloss when appropriate.

My final words are to say how much I appreciate the incredible support from all of the photographers that I have contacted for advice over the last ten years, and also the wonderful people behind the scenes of 1x, like Yvette, who work selflessly and tirelessly to help produce the best photographic website on the planet. Thank you very, very much to everyone involved!

'Sometimes Death Allows New Life To Grow Where Darkness Once Stood'

'Red White And Blue'

'A Slight Twist To The Story'

'Power Play'

'Things Are Looking Up'

'Walking The Dog 2'

'Merging Forces'

'Trying To Go Straight!'

'Keeping A Lookout'

'The Woman In The Orange Headscarf'

'In The Mix'

'What Can I Say?'

'Encore!'

'In No Uncertain Terms'

'Thereafter'

'On The Verge'