The Blog of Andrew Foster (Singer/Songwriter): Art concepts & Aaron Bennet Photography

This is a dedication to the work of Aaron Bennett

A close friend of mine who I have known for many years whom I've watched become an incredibly respected photographer locally, nationally and within the media. He does most of my concept work and has helped me create a visual style for every release. We have a huge archive of photos of me for the releases over the years but heres a few as one day I'm going to compile them to show them off properly.

Click on them to make them large

The Media Ghost session in the dis-used chalk factory is possibly my favorite shoot. The colours.. the premise behind the artwork and the finished article were perfect for the tone of the album. Aaron drove past this location one day by accident and clocked it as a great place for a shoot. When i described to him what i wanted, the two married perfectly. I could go into the concept behind the image all day, but for now just look at his work ;-)

The Butterflymind EP concept was something which Aaron devised and ran with. Shot in a field near to Buds Farm and the Immunity Tip in Havant (where we used to prowl the industrial state at night whilst it was being built), It was the perfect setting for the desolate isolated piece of work that was the EP itself. He wanted me to wear the Tee-shirt and to keep the hat on, and the strange effect he put over the final piece made it look as though it was slightly not of this world. Venerability and isolation where the themes but what i like about the pics is that however clever the effects or coloring, they still capture disconnection.

One of Aarons faves this one....I needed some promo shots done for my new sponsorship deal at the time with Adam Black guitar company to show off the S8 Dreadnought acoustic id just received. Aaron led the way again and led me to the old garages where i used to live growing up in Havant...Juniper Square. The whole concept was his idea. This was in one of the old garages next to where i used to live.

Adam Black loved it and used it in there sales catalog which I believe its still in.

The main promo shot i used for The Garden as it reflected the music on the album perfectly.. dark, slightly Tim Burton. The dark jagged trees reference the track "Evil Tree" but it is in fact the wall outside the flat in Southsea where i was at the time! Although quite psychedelic in places we wanted shots that lept between fantasy and realism, like the lyric Old Traditions...New Fabrications that was in one of the tracks. Around this time his shots of me were always a little strange like he was shooting The Gardens lyrical content from his lens!

Panic Moon and the Watchmen gig that came at the end of the year were an opportunity to get some Dr Who references in there and to have a little fun. The shoots were portraying less darkness and more optimism... apart from the watchmen photo which I got lots of messages about saying how creepy it was! I like these photos because he directed them throughout yet managed to get the style i was after. A visual aspect for the music is really important to me, always has been so its important to work with someone who is complimentary and understands the vision of the artist...no-matter how pretentious we can be as songwriters/bands etc he understands that its important to have a look.

Russells Teapot was a new start and outlook but keeping with older ideas. In fact...it reminds me of the Media Ghost shoot as nothing was a mistake, everything in the picture had its place and a meaning behind why it was there. Again I loosely gabbled a concept at him he brought it to life, and the picture perfectly encapsulated the music, lyrics and feel of the EP. This was actually an old friends of ours Dad's shed at the bottom of his garden. He was a little bit of a mad scientist himself....a hippy scientist ;-).

Perfect shot, perfect location...another win for Bennett :-)