Claire Freeman is an artist, photographer, holistic therapist, somatic movement educator, singer & dancer

I specialise in black and white analogue and pinhole art photography. Using darkroom chemicals and processes, printing by hand. Pinhole photography is ‘lens-less‘ photography. Camera Obscura comes from the Latin for ‘Dark Room’. I use a light-tight vessel – often a vintage suitcase loaded in the darkroom with photo paper – to create one paper negative which is then contact printed onto another piece of photo paper to create the positive print.

Reclining Self Portrait with Vintage Pinhole Camera in Anglican Cathedral Gardens

A steady hand is essential as exposures are in the range of 30 seconds to several minutes or in really extreme cases, hours, days or even months. I refer here to Dominique Stroobant and later, Justin Quinnel’s six month exposures from Summer to Winter Solstices.

Dominique Stroobant : Six Month Pinhole Exposures : Solstice to Solstice

I use 35mm film, medium format roll film, paper negatives and homemade brush-coated photo paper, linen, canvas and wood. Images are grainy, stark and contrasty in black and white, sometimes double-exposing two images overlayed, other times introducing colour with sepia tones or maybe cyan.

I ‘age’ prints by projecting light through creased tracing paper, vignetting so the image is darker around the edges and staining with strong tea or coffee to give that antiquated appearance.

Pyrography is another craft I practice. This translates literally as fire(pyro)writing(graphy). The surface of the wood is burnt with images, symbols, and text. 

Celtic Tree on Laburnum

I love working with living material from trees and the element of fire. Fire is transformational. Pyrography is a meditiative practice which emits it’s very own bonfire smell. I relish exploring and learning about the different properties, characteristics, symbology and meaning of different woods. Some wood is used as an incense in it’s own right – like sacred Palo Santo from South America – and is multipurpose as a pendant, talisman and scented incense. I tend to use predominantly native woods sourced locally. See a portfolio of my work here. 

Mushroom on Elm

Green Man on Holly

I am a practicing artist based in Snowdonia, North Wales. I hike, wild swim, cycle, make photographs, draw, read, write & document life…

I photograph digital reportage, covering everything from documenting gigs, events and weddings to creating abstract or intimate portraits and pregnancy and baby images. I am available for hire and private commission.

I use 35mm film, medium format film, experimental hand-coated papers and double-exposed images.

I construct pinhole cameras from suitcases, wooden boxes, tins, wardrobes and other vessels. This practice is magical lens-less photography.

I take inspiration from light and shadow, dynamic forms in nature (Li), Zen, people, places, the changing of seasons, optics, the elements, weather, yin-yang and connections with this world in which we live.