Effort & Style is a brand of photographic fruit plucked from the light garden of Andrew Downs of London and St Leonards on sea, UK.
Contact: andrew @ effortandstyle . com
Introduction to selected work
Absorbed figures
These are photos of self-absorption. My favourites are those that are possessed with the quality of lightness. This picture taken in a hotel bedroom is one. Perhaps the sleeping figure is dreaming me taking the photograph.
Series
In my series 'Finger piano' I paid one of my fingers to model for me. I still had to sign something to say I would not exploit images of my finger for pornographic purposes.
Kühlschranklicht
I’m influenced by late 18th century portraiture where it was the fashion for painters to bathe their models in the light that fell from an open fridge door.
I've struggled to find a particularly good example of that, although I know one exists. The closest I can offer you is La Comtesse de Chichon by Goya. For comparison, I took this photo some years after Goya's embittered black period.
Contemplating function
In photography I’m drawn to functional locations – kitchens, bathrooms, waiting places.
Kitchens keel with myth.
Having the quality of a dream
I like to go out to play in the realm where myth and substance co-exist.
These photos were taken with my big floppy camera made from pizza dough while I was inappropriately naked.
Style
The hauter the couture the heureuxer I am.
You may sometimes find this gallery offline if I need to rush back in and attend to an out of place eyelash, or feather.
Family and friends
Personal photos.
Requires the password you were given at your initiation and were instructed to sew into your paper hat.
Elsewhere on the web
• Re-use selected photos under Creative Commons licence.
Andrew Downs, London, UK