Photography has changed the way people look at themselves and the rest of the world.
When looking at photographs, it is very important to interpret what one sees because there is a story behind every picture. If that story is revealed, it can then be placed in a cultural and social context. By interpreting photographs from the past, viewers can learn about the people who saw that particular photograph during its time. Conversely, by interpreting photographs of the present, viewers can relate to their own time and place.
Practice, study, and the development of keen observation skills can certainly refine an artist’s perspective of the world. As a photographer, I understand the importance of having a vision that communicates to viewers my interpretation of what is around me. Whether a viewer likes or dislikes an image is not really an issue. It’s the appreciation of skill level, subject interpretation, social commentary and presentation that are important for the public to see and comment on.
My compositions are usually relatively simple and uncluttered. Facing the challenges of creating such compositions can be very exciting and test one’s ability to see subjects in a new way. Although botanical photography is one of my favored subjects, my interests are varied and I work on a wide variety of themes and projects. Working on projects within a defined theme helps focus and concentrate my work. A distillation, if you will, that allows for the development of techniques that are germane to that specific subject or theme.
My inspiration comes from many sources. For example, the large-scale flower canvasses by Georgia O’Keefe, the rose paintings of Franz Bischoff, the extraordinary botanical photographs of Christopher Beane and Harold Feinstein, as well as paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet are on my short list of inspirational images. The world I see every day is also a wonderful inspirational venue.
Using a Nikon digital camera and Adobe Photoshop to create images, I explore the ordinary and the extraordinary beauty of a subject in a hyper-realistic sort of way so that a viewer may appreciate the beauty of line and form, the opulence of saturated color as well as unusual and pleasing compositions.
In a world plagued with political unrest, environmental concerns and human strife, the images I find most appealing celebrate a quiet and unobtrusive beauty that can be found around us every day. Things that are so common or ordinary that we tend to pass by or walk around them without much notice. Take in your surroundings as you move through your day. What you find there may surprise you and inspire you.
I hold a B.A. in Art and an M.A. in Modern Art History/Photography from the University of California, Sacramento.
