Patrick Naughton (b.1980)

Based in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin, the Irish fine art photographer Patrick Naughton is noted for his range of monochrome pictures of Dublin city, suburbs and coastline, as well as a series of abstract photographs of nature.

One of Ireland's up-and-coming lens-based artists, his work is inspired by the great American outdoor photographers Ansel Adams and Paul Strand as well as the contemporary Irish artist Liam Blake. Naughton's work can be viewed (in far better quality than the reproductions on this page) on his website (see below), or at the Gallery in Naughtons Bookshop in Dun Laoghaire.

Phoenix Park.

Naughton's love affair with photography began from the moment he was given a camera by a relative, in order to take portrait snaps of his family.

After studying Photography and Digital Imaging at the Dublin Institute of Technology - where he focused on video installation and digital art - he "returned to his roots" and began to specialize in black and white landscape photography, using a 35mm and 6x6 film cameras. One of his key interests is the relationship between land and sea.

Bull Island.

A major inspiration for the sweeping panoramas and wide horizons of Naughton's landscapes and coastal seascapes has been the work of Ansel Adams (1902-84), whose famous photographs like Storm in Yosemite Valley (1935), and Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico (1941), effectively became the foremost record of the scenery of US National Parks before the advent of tourism.

In his urban and abstract portfolios, Naughton has been inspired by the American fine art photographer Paul Strand (1890-1976): one can see it in his sharp eye for detail and, above all in his acute observation of abstract form and pattern in natural scenery like grass, sand, and the surfaces of water.

Dublin Bay on a Winter's Day.

In addition to his rural, urban and sea views, Naughton has recently begun to explore the art of photographing people. If his portrait compositions are as acutely perceptive as his other work we should all be in for a treat.

Aside from his obvious photographic talent which shines through much of his work, one feels that Naughton is both restless and intensely curious about his art. One could never imagine him sitting on his laurels. On the contrary, my guess is that we haven't seen anything yet!

Howth Head.

Our Opinion

This is a young man oozing with photographic talent. Anyone looking for high quality photographs of the Dublin city and county region, particularly outdoor landscape shots, should make a beeline for his website or visit his gallery in Dun Laoghaire. Prices start from €50, which includes free worldwide shipping.

To contact Patrick Naughton, or to see more examples of his work, visit his website: www.patricknaughton.com, or see his online gallery at www.naughtonsbooks.com, - or his blogsite www.irishartsblog.com.

Review written by Neil Collins (Editor) (July 2008).

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Malahide Castle.

Marley Park.

Sorrento Terrace.

• For more about film artworks, see Video Art.
• For more about cinematography, see Animation Art.
• For more information about visual arts in Ireland, see: Irish Art.
• For details of famous painters and sculptors from Ireland, see Irish Artists.

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