Artist Statement
My photography is primarily a medium for cultural exploration, analysis, and documentation; and much of it is created in the course of traveling through cultures other than my own. As someone with a compelling interest in the power of photography to capture the vibrancy and diversity of human cultures, I value color as an essential expressive and communicative medium. At the same time, I remain deeply drawn to the formal power and tonal richness of black and white photography.

 

 

Louis Montrose was born in London, grew up in New York City, and has lived in southern California for many years. During a successful academic career in the humanities, he wrote and taught about the history and cultural power of images. He now pursue his calling as a photographer full time. He works in a number of photographic genres, including cityscape, environmental portrait, travel and night photography, but whatever the genre, most of his images are focused on the documentation and interpretation of culture. His photography has been published in Lenswork, B&W, COLOR, and other fine art photography publications; and featured in Lonely Planet Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Digital Camera, Art and Design (Beijing) and other magazines. His work has been exhibited in London, Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen, and Buenos Aires, as well as in California, Colorado, New York, and Ohio. He received the 2010 Pollux Award and was named Professional Photographer of the Year by the WPGA; in 2011, he was named Travel Photographer of the Year by TPOTY in London.