There are multifaceted ways of seeing. Perception & perspective shape the way we see the world. Nuances of nature & nurture among all of us create unique interpretations of our shared surroundings. The role of the artist is to bring their unique perception of the world to others and encourage others to see their world outside of their own perspective.

 

My photography journey began the reverse of most people; it began not with a camera, but in the darkroom. At the age of fifteen I learned the photographic process in the darkroom making prints from other people’s poorly exposed & spoiled negatives. I spent two years honing my darkroom skills before I ever acquired my first camera: a simple 35mm - all manual, hand focused, no meter & with a fixed wide angle lens. Within a few months I had learned its processes inside and out to the point where I could take extreme close up images of single grains of salt. From the beginning I wanted to push the limits of the technology & development techniques.

 

Professionally, I spent about a decade as a press photographer, darkroom technician, and made engraving plates for print newspapers. I specialized in landscape & architectural photography, using 35mm single lens reflex & 120 mm viewfinder cameras. These techniques behind the camera & in the lab, developed by myself & others like me, went digital in the information age. 

 

Now retired, I spend my days taking in the world around me with my cameras. Then I manipulate & edit images to match my perspective. I am influenced by the Impressionist painters of the 19th century, these painters found themselves in a rapidly changing world driven by industrialization. I find myself in a rapidly changing world driven by digitalization. With my lens & editing techniques I seek to join the conversations of the Impressionists.