SOUTHAMPTON photographer Joe Low is the subject of an exhibition that shows his talent for drawing.

He was based in Winchester until moving to Southampton last year with a reputation for prize-winning straight, and digitally manipulated, photographs.

He is just as accomplished at drawing, a field he has always pursued from his time at Winchester School of Art, if not publicly.

Lo and Behold! his latest exhibition, is at “The First” Gallery in Bitterne, Southampton, the premiere exposure of both aspects together.

His imaginative approach, already seen in his professional photographs, is extended, turning one of the hallmarks of the medium on its head.

By interweaving images taken at different times, or abrading the surface to create new textures, Low makes one-off artworks of something known to be endlessly repeatable.

The swirling, restless strokes in his mostly figure-based drawings owe nothing to other masters of “fluffy” images (e.g. Feliks Topolski, or Dennis Creffield) with sharply defined edges on close viewing. Low’s compositions are tight and much more graphic.

The overlap of style and feel between examples of the two media is intriguing (some take you a moment or two to register which medium they’re in), and the whole makes a stunning show.

The show started on September 9 and runs until Sunday September 17 at “The First” Gallery, 1 Burnham Chase,

Bitterne, SO18 5DG, 02380 462723.

It is open Sat/Sun 11am-5pm and Mon-Fri, any time, by prior arrangement. On the last morning, September 17 there will be coffee and nibble from 10.30am-Noon.