Ian Barnes
Ian is an award-winning photographer and member of the NSW branch of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP).
At the age of 10, after marvelling at a neighbour bringing black and white images to life in his laundry darkroom, Ian was hooked on photography for life!
Surrendering to Ian’s constant pestering, his parents bought him a Kodak Box Brownie, the most basic of medium format film cameras. So began his photographic journey.
Realising his passions were also for drawing and painting, Ian started experimenting with oils from the age of 13. After graduating school, he ventured into a jewellery design and manufacturing apprenticeship at Angus & Coote, one of Australia’s leading retail jewellery chains. He achieved his Trade Diploma, then formed a jewellery manufacturing partnership with a close jeweller friend, which successfully designed and made bespoke pieces, which they supplied to the finest jewellery stores throughout Australia for over 15 years.
After selling his half of the jewellery business, Ian rekindled his passion for photography, travelling throughout Europe, Scandinavia, South Africa, India and Kashmir, capturing images at every opportunity.
His portraits of royal family members, prime ministers and CEOs are well regarded. Ian’s portrait of his good friend, the late Paul Ramsay, adorns the foyer of every Ramsay Health Care Hospital in Australia, and the cover of his recent biography ‘Paul Ramsay – A Man For Others’.
Ian now lives with his family on Sydney’s Northern Beaches where his latest project is photographing Australia’s iconic beaches. He embellishes the photos of these vistas with digital brush strokes, after which the images are merged with multiple layers of textured backgrounds. After printing them on archival quality canvases and watercolour papers, he then paints-in gels and varnishes into the canvases, employing a unique technique. This process introduces a 3D painterly layer that adds vibrancy and vigour to the scenes, and extends the archival life of each canvas print. Examples of these works can be seen and purchased at BALMORAL GALLERY, 73 Spit Rd. Mosman, NSW, 2088. which he curates and hosts 8 other artists on the walls.
Ian’s aim is to transport the viewer to beautiful, tranquil, serene locations, in these unusually confining times. . . starting with the stunning natural beauty of our unique Australian Beaches.
