Clare Strand.

Image copyright Clare Strand

"Over the last ten years, dissatisfied with the often complacent values of the photography world, Clare Strand has assembled a body of work that is both subversive and celebratory in its approach to photographic conventions.

During this period Strand’s art has developed through a series of increasingly interesting and unique projects that have explored various photographic genres, from Victorian portraiture to crime scene and forensic photography.

In these series she has dwelt on the oddity of photography’s strange backwaters, its utilitarian functions and its infiltration of every corner of our lives, to make us question the value and complex meanings of photographic images". Cont'd (then click info link)

I love the photographs from Clare Strand's series "Gone Astray Portraits" A little bit of Victorian brought up to date and playing with and commenting on the traditions of photography. Think John Thomson's London portraits, but done in an old studio by a man with a big moustache and a magnesium flash gun that goes bang and an Aspidistra and maybe a stuffed lion oh and costumes. Sorry I'm getting carried away but do you get me? See Clare Strand's website HERE.