My Muse
While photography has always been a part of my life, it was after my life partner and soul mate was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis that it developed. I started to look at life differently and with a new appreciation of its fragility. I was now looking through a different set of eyes and developed a new appreciation of my surroundings. I started to capture these views through the photographic medium and develop my artistic style.
My Artwork
I create my artwork using a medium format Mamiya camera and photograph with a fine grain black & white negative film. In the darkroom, I can spend many hours to bring out the feeling and essence of what I viewed. Using dodging and burning techniques, I hand print each photograph using black & white chemistry on a museum quality fiber base paper. The photographs have a depth and crispness and each picture within the edition is unique as I cannot dodge and burn each print the same time and chemical temperatures can vary.
My Creativity
To create a unique perspective and life in my artwork, I combine different elements - shadows, clouds, textures and lines - with lighting. Outside the studio, I use available lighting and carefully select the time of the day to shoot my subject to utilize the sun to create my statement. Where lighting is limited, such as an interior industrial site, I use a long exposure time to capture the dramatic feel as it comes into sharp focus. In the studio, I experiment with the intensity and the number of light sources to create my image. I favor a black background to shoot my floral studies to bring out the artistic expression of the flower. Despite the harshness of the black background, through the use of light including selective dodging and burning in the darkroom, I create sensuality and softness in the picture. For my still life images, I experiment with different presentations to create whimsical images.