To mark 25 years since the opening of his gallery, renowned Irish photographer Giles Norman presents more than 150 of his most enduring black and white images in this remarkable collection. From rugged headlands and windswept oceans to fragile flora and shadowed skies, these images capture the timeless splendour of Ireland. Since the gallery opened in historic Kinsale, County Cork, 1000s of visitors have witnessed his special talent.
Handed his first camera at the age of 18, Giles is entirely self-taught, inspired by photographers such as Ansel Adams. Giles takes his 35mm Nikon to create images of the Irish landscape that evoke a purity of vision, mostly stripped of manmade intrusion. Wider views of wild, remote places intermingle with small details of windows and moments in urban and rural life with little concession to the human form. Preferring to keep his pictures 'real' he shuns the special effects of modern photography. Skeletons of fishing boats, lonely roads, deserted ruins and cobbled streets speak of a life apart from the image, and of our temporary passage. A shaft of light between clouds, a breaking wave, the elegance of a single flower remind us how special these moments are. Accompanied by his own observations and insights on his work, Ireland: Timeless Images by Giles Norman is a must for anyone who shares Giles' passion for photography and the Irish landscape.
Giles Norman lives in Kinsale, Co. Cork. A chance request to photograph a school project provided his first opportunity to use a camera and, by 1981, he was creating his first portfolios. He developed his distinctive style, travelled Ireland in search of images and opened his own gallery. The gallery was a success and gained Giles recognition as one of Ireland's leading photographers. He still travels a lot in search of photographs. Giles may have inherited his talent from his mothers's family as her great uncle was the Belgian painter, Henri de Braekeleer. His paintings still hang in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels and he was considered one of Van Goghs great influences.