This is the website showcasing the photography of Alan Ward. His focus has been shifting towards telling stories through dramatic portraits, while still retaining an interest in landscape and dark cities/night towns.
I create images that help the viewer develop one page of a story. No single image represents the whole story, but when we add a few images together, we have snippets equivalent to a chapter or to selecting random pages of a book and each time landing on a highlight.
The themes that excite me are slightly off; capturing a reality that never quite existed but with enough contribution from our every-day existence to be able to connect to them. Initial inspiration for the imagery is often from non-photographic sources, drawing on cinematography, old painters, fantasy illustrations, music and poetry.
Alan Ward
2024 is seeing further exploration, specifically in series of old fantasy and mythology.
Why Silk Hat Studio?
At the time, Alan was living between Stockport and Macclesfield. Stockport is famous for its millinery heritage, hence the hat. Macclesfield has a rich history in silk and so we have Silk Hat.
Despite the name, there is no physical studio. The aim is to open a studio and that’s the reason for the name, but also to include the ethos of a creative studio, not necessarily limited to a single profession, leaning more towards an agency concept. In the meantime, Alan is well-known in several studios in the Sheffield and Derbyshire area and has worked in many others across the country.
Other Background
Previously running a successful small consultancy in Enterprise Architecture, assisting large organisations to achieve their aims, he chose to focus more time and effort on photography. There is much in common between the two disciplines; both take information and display it in different ways to achieve a range of responses.
You can read more about the consultancy angle at alancward.co.uk.
For commissions and bookings, get in touch via the Contact Form or have a look at the photography services offered
This site is being re-developed during April 2024.