London Photography Award nominee Ian Traherne: 'I am a lover of the sixties photographers Bailey and Duffy, I wanted to explore the simplicity of portraiture, using my skills of catching the sensitivity of my subjects. The exhibition at the Reading Room runs till 20th January.'

Your work is currently showing in London at The Reading Room, could you tell us a bit about the pieces your are exhibiting, and how they came about?

The exhibition at the Reading Room is currently showing an array of work that I have produced over the two years. They are predominately black and white, large and small images of portraits and unusual architecture photographs which are taken from my perspective. I am a lover of the sixties photographers Bailey and Duffy, I wanted to explore the simplicity of portraiture, using my skills of catching the sensitivity of my subjects. The exhibition runs till 20th January at the Reading Room.

How has your work developed over the past three years?

Over the last three years I have been defining my style, finding out what I like to photograph, what excites me. I studied the technical side of the camera which gave me a better understanding of photography as a science. This enabled me to raise the bar on my work and take it to another level. My passion for photography comes from connecting with life, exploring new and old areas. With many people leading busy lives they tend not see the beauty around them, I feel it is my job to show them through photography what they have been missing. Taking portraits is always satisfying when you get that perfect shot. I have always been fascinated with faces since drawing as a child, I naturally have transferred this passion through photography.

You have been praised for highlighting the beauty of some rather 'ugly' scenes, do you think this is due to your appreciation of eyesight in itself, or are you an optimist anyway, or both?

Taking Pictures of "ugly" scenes or buildings is a challenge for me, as I want to turn it into an image that you would want to put on your wall. I have an unconscious natural skill for bringing sensitivity into my images. I tend to look at old buildings that are to be considered dated or ugly, and I will always find something beautiful in the lonesome concrete that is standing before me.

What does 'success' mean to you, personally?

Success to me is being able to do exhibitions, display work in different galleries, share with the public my passion for photography and being able to make a living from photographing people. My ambition is to approach famous creative people and eventually do their portraits in studio or at home. David Bailey and Brian Duffy have had a huge influence and inspiration on what I do. I feel blessed to be able to do this line of work.