Black and White Magazine Issue – 80 Sept 05

Reprinted with permission of the Editor of B/W Magazine and the writer (Chelsea Hunter)

“ROMANCE isn’t dead, it’s just resting momentarily. At least that’s the prevailing theme that runs through the work of Elaine Batton.

A photographer who believes that modern works of art focus more on a message than on the nature of beauty itself, Batton has created a series called Serenity that explores the shared allure of bodies of water and female bodies in repose. “The landscapes and the nudes were created to be connected and have a feeling of synergy,” the graduate of Melbourne’s Photography Studies College says. “It’s a celebration of the beauty of nature inspired by old oil paintings.” The languid images are drawn together through a vivid colour scheme of deep reds and blues that add to the study’s sense of opulence. “To really capture an area I look for a feeling of golden light at sunset or took to capture the drama of the sky during a major storm.” Chelsea Hunter