Artist Statement
My Statement on Photography.
Light. Art. Science. These define Photography.
Photography is light.
Light is what defines our sight and therefore our reality of today, our memories of yesterday and our dreams of tomorrow. Capturing light is capturing life and holding still to savor the moment. A sunset and other forms of weather in nature are unique and never repeated. Light plays a large part in defining the beauty of these unique situations. I try to capture the ever-present light in nature. This is the light of my photography.
Photography is Art.
Art is perception of the mundane, the everyday occurrence, the unexpected and the expected. Taking the perception and giving it meaning that remains timeless and causes the viewer to stop and think is creating Art. Even though there is a stature in this image, the art is contained in the angle of the image and the mixing of reflection and sight through a window. In this image, it is difficult to tell which is reflection and which is part of the room. This image makes me ask where reality starts and stops. The reflections around the stature simulate a lifetime surrounding us all. This is art of my photograph.
Photography is Science.
Science allows the artist to capture light and produce images that pause everyday life. The photographer sees the everyday life and sees the artistic value. Using science, he captures the light, crops the image, adjusts the contrast, the exposure, and prepares the image to display the art. I study and write on the science of photography. To be able to use the photographic tools, one must understand how a lens reacts to light, detail, contrast, and limitations. One must understand how film or an electronic sensor react to the impacting photons of light to predict the image results. Understanding what development tools are needed and how to use them to their maximum potential is science. Understanding paper and printing techniques helps one prepare the image for display. This is the science of my photography.
My Views and Goals in Photography
Not every image of mine touches everyone that sees it the same way. Just as we all experience life differently, so people experience my photography differently.
Things in the world that amaze me include the perfection in the creation of nature. Everything is balance and everything intricately works together and apart. Things in the world that amaze me include both balanced and unbalanced geometry. Whether it is man-made or natural, geometry plays a large role in the world around us. Things in the world that amaze me include the mixture of dark and light and the contrast of light and life around us. Things in the world that amaze me include the drive that each person has to attain their own personal goal and their daily contemplation of life and how to get there.
I use objects in the world around me to capture those things that amaze me. I use objects in nature to capture nature itself. I use all varieties of life to capture shapes and contrast. I use reflections to build on the concept of dream versus reality. The most challenging for me, is photographing people to capture their drive or their essence in life, be it the current moment's drive or a lifelong ambition. Capturing people in a meaningful way is my biggest challenge.