John Neville Cohen - World Photography Organisation

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http://www.worldphoto.org/profile/42645/

Country:: Spain
Nationality:: British
Member Since:: 04 Feb 2011
No. of Galleries:: 1

Bio

John Neville Cohen invented his own unique form of 'Painting with Light' photography (a very different and original 'special effect' technique in the early 1960's), without using any computer, darkroom chemicals, or expensive equipment to create his unique top international award winning transparencies.

His technique is pure photography on film and has nothing to do with moving lights to make light graffiti, or of lighting specific parts of a scene during a long exposure. What it does involve is the photographing of projected images that surprisingly are not often projected on to a screen!

John has found that the projector really lives up to its earlier known name - 'The Magic Lantern', as what can be done with projectors for photographers really is magical!

One of his best known pictures was titled 'Spirit of Spring', this was the first ever picture taken on Kodachrome (transparency film) that included both a negative of a tulip and a positive image of a girl's portrait, all on the same emulsion! This photograph won The London Salon Trophy in 1967; it was then the first time a colour picture was deemed worthy of this much-coveted trophy, for it had only ever been awarded before for Black and White studies. John was also the youngest member to have won it.

No one knew at the time, how these could be possible, as they was created well before anyone had the use of computers.

The chosen screen often became the subject of the picture; John has photographed projected images on to a shell, a flower and a butterfly wing, even the edges of the pages of a book!

His discovered technique sometimes involved; projecting his image through a crystal, through coloured cellophane, or reflecting the projected image off various reflective surfaces, the image projected could be a negative (colour or black and white) and he even used three, or four projectors (with careful masking) all together at times.

His freely available article titled 'The Magic Lantern' fully describes and explains exactly how anyone and everyone can do it. These special effects have certain qualities that are a little different from those achievable by digital manipulation. ('The Magic Lantern' can be found at - http://www.jncohen.net/photmagi/cg030001.htm)

There have been over 20 One-Man Exhibitions of John's photography (many were sponsored by Kodak) at major venues; 2 were held in New York, 4 in London, The Edinburgh Festival and many other UK &amp; USA Cities. His pictures have stood up to the test of time and they are exceptional, so now they have just become available for sale as limited editions.

Favourable reviews and comments have been received; Cecil Beaton C.B.E., Sir William Russell Flint R.A., Lady Clementine Spencer-Churchill, Sir George F. Pollock Bt., M.A., F.R.P.S., F.R.S.A., 'The Times' and 'Arts Review' to name a few!

John has honestly explained that he starts with an idea and then experiments with various images, but sometimes something unforeseen happened, that sends him down a totally fresh route to create a very different picture than he originally planned, often it has been these ‘inspired accidents’ that have since turned out to be his very best works.

John is currently creating pictures &quot;I use pure photography to express ideas, or thoughts, rather than reality. I trust that my pictures will intrigue, cause interest and be appreciated as very original art works that make quite a statement!&quot; John N. Cohen

&quot;Indeed, since the photographic image is made by the action of light, truth to light is truth to the medium of photography! All John Cohen's photographs are made, simply and solely, by the use of light. His magic is the magic of the luminous, his poetry is that of the chiaroscuro. The attractions of his work is all the greater for the purity of the photographic technique, and its appeal all the more universal for being couched in an imagery common to all men and intelligible to all.&quot; Sir George F. Pollock Bt., M.A., F.R.P.S., F.R.S.A.

&quot;I find this rather curious - Art Galleries refer to me as a photographer, but photographers refer to me as an Artist!&quot; John N. Cohen