SOme History

In 1972 I was working as an architec in Indianapolis,Indiana. I built a darkroom table over the bath in my apartment. There was no shower, so I had to crawl under the table to take a bath. That, to say the least, was inconvenient, so after several months my darkroom experience came to an end and I went back to taking showers and photographing with slide film.

In 1973, at my work-place, I was introduced to a computer. I was immediately captivated by the magical power of software. Years later, with the arrival of digital photography, I saw a synergy with computing and instinctively knew that with a “digital darkroom”, I could recover from my wet darkroom misadventure.

Upon my return to Australia the serious business of family, a mortgage and work became my priority. Photography went into hiatus for two decades.

When retirement loomed I decided that photography would be my activity. In 2003 I bought my first digital camera. Around 2006 I downloaded a Beta version of Adobe Lightroom. My digital darkroom had arrived! I have owned every version of Lightroom in its various iterations, and post-processing of images is now a fundamental part of my image-making.

But seriously …

Photographic techniques and styles change rapidly. My work evolved as I followed the vicissitudes of fashion and explored the styles of photographers whose work I admired, but I sought the stability of a signature style.

At its root, my photography is informed by Architectural Modernism which peaked around the time I was studying architecture. The essence of Modernism includes minimalism as a design ethic, the idea that form should follow function and that ornament is an anathema. These ideas have direct application to photography.

There is also an equivalence between photography, a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional world, and two dimensional architectural drawings, which represent a yet to be resolved three dimensional building. The parallels are stark. Spatial literacy and technical precision are fundamental to both.

Modernism influenced all art forms including photography. Modernist photographers include Ansel Adams (and all the f/64 photographers and those who followed them) who reacted against Pictorialism by striving “to define photography as an art form by a simple and direct representation through purely photographic methods”. Adams approach to photography was revolutionary, but in this digital age, unconstrained by the limitations of the dark room, his photographs appear constrained.

In my architectural work, I enjoy portraying a simple, clean, direct representation of interesting buildings; the much derided “record image”. More satisfying is when a direct image is moved into the realm of a stylised, symbolic, representation. A semi-abstraction of reality, obedient to the philosophy of Modernism that provides something more by raising questions of form, tonality and the genesis of the subject.

So what is it with stray dogs?

Way back last century in the '80s, when remote desert travel in 4WDs was our thing (and to my eternal regret, I didn’t take a camera) it was decided that everyone should have a CB radio “handle”. My wife was quick to volunteer for me, “Stray Dog”. She explained that it came from her experience of having a conversation with me only to find that she was talking to herself because I had disappeared down an alley or over a hill in pursuit of the elusive photographic moment. Digital era conventions resulted in the transformation to "straydog", and so it remains.

find and buy

You can find me on Locationscout.
You can buy my stuff by contacting me at robert.dettman@me.com.

Biography

Robert Dettman B Arch AFIAP AAPS SAPS
Fifteen years ago Robert decided that photography would be his retirement activity. He joined Eastern Suburbs Camera Club and the Australian Photographic Society. This led to him becoming chair of APS Digital Group and then a member of the APS Management committee. During that time he was also Treasurer and President of his local club.

Robert’s photography is influenced by his architectural training when Modernism was reaching its peak. Clarity, simplicity and minimalism are hallmarks of his image making. 95% of post processing is done in Lightroom Classic which he's been using since version 1.0. He is an accredited judge, gives talks to camera clubs on a variety of subjects, leads Architectural Photography workshops in various Australian cities and gives image editing seminars for Lightroom users.

Exhibitions

2023: Finalist in the Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize Exhibition
2022: Burnside Council Atrium, Tusmore, “Faded Dreams” Exhibition.
2020: AIARTS, Gallery, South Australia. “Aerial Views of Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre”.
2020: SA Living Arts “Land and the Built Environment”, Arkaba Hotel, Fullarton.
2019: Australian Conceptual Photography Prize - Acceptance, Magnet Galleries, Melbourne, Victoria.
2019: SAPF Group Print Exhibition, Hamra Centre and Myer Atrium, Adelaide.

Published

2017 Australian Photography: Architectural portfolio.
2016 Pictures Das Foto-Magazin: “Adelaide Entertainment Centre”.