About

I was drawn to live in West Dorset over 20 years ago by a desire to photograph its landscape. Since then I have strayed to other locations – most recently to New Zealand. But the opportunity to become intimately acquainted with the Dorset countryside through all its seasons and lights remains the principal driving force behind my photography.

My recording methods have changed little over the years – simple rangefinder cameras which produce negatives that I print in the darkroom at home using the soft light of an elderly De Vere enlarger.

Anna Powell, co-director of Sladers Yard gallery in West Bay, Dorset, wrote: "Ian Chapman’s photographs of the layers of light in woodlands or of lines, marks and features of the hilltops and ridgeways of West Dorset transcend the simple word landscape. His work provokes awareness of the transience and fragility of our surroundings, recording them for the future in memorable, almost abstract visions."

Thank you for taking the time to look at my website. Any comments are always welcome.

Portesham 2010