Ever since my teenage years, I've had a great desire to travel and find adventure. Using the camera to attain these goals, I have had some of the greatest adventures of my life. My life has been forever by the cultural influences and people I've encountered in my travels. The images I've taken are magical to me, and it is my hope that viewers will observe the uniqueness in each one. This goal is the basis for the collection, Desaturated Soul.
Loneliness is a common motif in portraits and landscapes. I Took most of the photographs during the last ten years, a period of great change in my life. My children were on their own, and I had more free time. Feelings of loneliness sometimes crept into my world. Photography filled that void and brought me great joy.
Black and white photography is soulful and exudes emotion. It's another language, with a special beauty of its own. Such fundamentally different images as portraits, landscapes, and the surreal are included in the book.
By combining photographs with text, I've attempted to create a specific mood. Exposing my soul to the world has been exhilarating, yet at the same time a bit frightening However, these visuals and the written word complement each other and comprise the final work. Drawing on inspiration from the photographs, I am highly motivated to write.
Instinct is the tool that tells me whether or not to commit to a photograph. Something strikes me in an instant and I'm ready to go. My goal is to capture the feeling of the moment so as to evoke the viewer's emotional reaction. The photographer is much like a psychologist, studying the complexity of human nature and understanding human emotion.
My response to mannequin photography is much the same as my response to human photography. Although the mannequins are not real, I see something in their faces or an expression that seems real. Giving them life through photography is quite exciting.
Feelings for particular landscapes operate in a similar fashion. There's a gut feeling to photograph, something I feel in the depths of my soul. I feel the sun and the lay of the land. The cliff dwellings, for example, bring to mind the "Ancients", the Anasazi, who left the areas where they once thrived. The reasons for their departure are unknown, and their lifestyle must have been remarkable.
Photographing up close creates a personal connection between the photographer and the subject. An observer might take a second look as he studies the image. In that way, he is also taking a second look at the artist, who projects his personality onto the work. When reaching into a person's soul with the camera's lens, one feels his strength or weakness. To feel the beauty and spirit of the land creates excitement in landscape photography.
I would like to touch people and have them feel as they have never felt before. Some might feel a connection to the biker's strength or to the love surrounding eighty-two year old Maria. The photographs introduce thought-provoking ideas, allowing the viewer to form a greater understanding of his or her own feelings. Capturing only a small portion of what the world has to offer is my accomplishment. Given that there are so many more unique faces and places to see, there is much work to be done. My goal is to continue exploring the unusual and exotic with the camera.
