Neil Williams

My introduction to photography began while studying at University in the United States during the early 1990's. While there, I became fascinated with the black and white imagery I saw in a film which led me to an involvement in the photography class taught at the school. Though not registered, I was given special permission by the instructor to join the class and participate in photo assignments, critiques and in developing black & white prints, using traditional darkroom techniques.

Upon my return to Jamaica, I sought to build upon what I had already learned by enrolling in a photography class offered at Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts. I was urged by the photography instructor to participate in the National Photography Competition and was successful; winning several major awards during the years I entered.

After a nine year break from competing, I won silver in the 2007 JCDC National Photography Competition for the piece, 'Manchioneal Bay 360º'. A year later I received the top prize in the same competition for the entry, 'Fort Charles 360º'.

Apart from the JCDC exhibition at the National Gallery of Jamaica for awarded entrants, I have participated in other group exhibitions of fine-art, such as the Liguanea Fine-Art Festival and the Jamaica Guild of Artists Annual Exhibition.

I now work exclusively in the digital format and my main area of interest, a direct result of this new digital medium, is panoramic photography. The images, taken at locations all around Jamaica, are created using a special process after which they are then printed or rendered as virtual reality (VR) movie files which can be seen here on my website, www.aroundjamaica.com.