His work attempts to capture movement. With a career marked by contrasting experiences and places (he studied in France and then worked for a number of years in South Africa), as well as a long-standing commitment to the countryside, Houghton's work spans a broad spectrum – from the arresting drama of dynamic sports to the quiet, unhurried pace of traditional rural life. Regardless of subject, there is always an enthusiasm for communicating the individual qualities of a person, event or place.