A fascination with light
Hi everyone,
My name is Adam Taylor and I am currently undertaking the final year of my PhD studies in the field of Photonics. This is the study of all the fascinating aspects of light.
Growing up I was fascinated by everything to do with light and it was always my favourite area of science. When I started looking into courses during my VCE, it was Swinburne’s Bachelor of Science in Photonics that immediately drew me in.
Eight years later my journey through Swinburne has seen me complete my Bachelor, undertake an Industry Based Learning year with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation and complete my Honours Degree in Lasers and Optoelectronics. I am now two years into completing my PhD in photonics.
With all this science in my head I felt the need for a creative outlet which for me came in the form of a camera. I picked up my first digital SLR camera 18 months ago. My fascination with light followed me into my artistic pursuit, with one of the photography techniques I most enjoy being known as ‘light painting’. By opening up the cameras shutter and moving a light source around inside your frame, you can motion-blur the light in your image or more poetically, you ‘Paint’ light into your image.
Together with my love of urban exploration (exploring abandoned buildings and storm-water drain), light painting has enabled me to create some unique imagery and allowed me the good fortune of twice exhibiting my work.
My first exhibition was a solo show titled: A Moment Longer than Time, followed by the group show I curated titled: Beauty in Decay. Two of my favourite images are featured below, with the fire spiral being shot in the storm water drains directly under Glenferrie Road.
Coming into photography from a Photonics background has given me some great insights into how light can be manipulated to create the most interesting and thought provoking images. Be it creating interesting effects by bouncing a laser around inside a room or twirling a flaming staff, these artistic effects have their causes rooted in science, which my training has allowed me to exploit.
For any of you considering the sciences but worrying it may be too dry, I can wholeheartedly say that creative synergies can arise for places you never expect, so give it a go.
You can check out my portfolio online here:
http://s959.photobucket.com/albums/ae78/Travolta-DP8/BeautyInDecay/?albumview=slideshow
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