About Ian Leake

My artwork has three themes: beauty, simplicity and truth. I search for these everywhere — in my studio, in the streets, and in the landscape; but most of all I search inside my head. When I find these treasures, I make my photographs.

The art of photography has always been a fusion of visual design and craft. Without strong visual design, photographs are boring. Without the photographer’s craft, the results lack authenticity.

I have chosen to focus my craft on historical materials. Unless a particular project demands something else, I create my work in-camera on film, and in my darkroom on paper. I much prefer working with light, film, paper and chemistry, than spending hours using a computer and other people’s software algorithms. Anyway, the inherent beauty of a handmade platinum/palladium or silver-gelatin print far surpasses modern digital media.

I try to avoid making pictures of things, and I hope that you will not see any 'things' in my photographs. Instead I hope that you will see a broader vision of humanity: a vision of beauty, simplicity and truth.

My signature on the art you buy means three things. It means that this is my best work. It means that I have used the finest materials and archival processes to ensure the artwork’s quality and longevity. And it means that I am ready to share this photograph with you.

I hope you get as much pleasure from owning my photographs and joining my community, as I get from making them.