Artists Statement

P

owerful vistas in front of me, storm clouds in the mountain above, waves crashing on a deserted shore, these and all the powerful moments of nature stir and excite my soul. Nature at its most dramatic and beautifull; that is what I photograph.   Capturing those magical moments that touch people emotionally has been the focus of my life in still photography, and long before.  My decades in the commercial and entertainment world taught me how to reach people, to get and hold their attention, emotionally and intellectually.  I now work to infuse the feelings of each place in my photographs.

Bring people inside the moments of majic that occur in nature, and touch them emotionally."

       Creating and photographing films, directing stage productions, as well as writing and performing music, have given me the skills to connect with audiences.  Capturing the essence of places is my ongoing quest, to create fresh images that pull the viewer inside.  It is a continuing challenge and adventure, as each place  requires it’s own special answer. 

     While the American landscape in the West has been my major focus, my desire to make people feel the spirit of various locales has led me on related explorations.  FotoReflections is a single exposure technique I developed to capture the spirit that is still alive in these historic mining towns, as well as almost any place with glass surfaces.    

     Every mood and emotion that exists for us humans exists in nature.    As an artist, I try to let myself be open to each place and experience, to let it speak to me.  I have done the same thing as a singer and performer, becoming the song.  Similarly, I try to emotionally become each of my photographs.  The connection between music and photography is so strong for me, that I have named all my images with song titles or lyrics.    The tone, contrast, rhythm, balance, drama, counterpoint, and melody are the “music” of each image, combining to make every photograph its own “song”.  

      For any piece of music to be memorable, it must stay in your mind and heart, resonating long after the initial impact is over.   The same is true, I believe, for photographs.   If it achieves that, the image is successful.

      My interest in photography grew exponentially in my teens, during several summer long pack trips into the magnificent Sierras.   I had grown up in the Eastern suburbs, and these exciting summers left an indelible mark on my visual sense.  The beauty of the West continues to be endlessly exciting to me photographically, and I keep returning to capture the essences of these magical places.

     For many years, my still photography was medium format film.  Since 2004, I have photographed with full frame 35mm digital Canon cameras.   I do all my own work in my studio, printing with archival pigment inks.  

     Each image takes several days to complete, as I adjust the nuances, and re-evaluate it.  I am very demanding of myself.  No photograph is finished until it feels just right. 

     My desire is to bring people inside the moments of beauty and magic that occur, and to emotionally touch them.  Have I succeeded?   Judge for yourself.  The answer is in my work.