Artist's Statement
My vision has typically been organized around the concept of the found photograph. My work
mostly consists of non-staged or modeled arrangements, or pictures as
encountered. The elements of
any scene as encountered tend to arrange themselves in one's mind, so
that the scene seems to say to the viewer what it wants. The
photographer in this scenario needs to be ready to receive this message.
Of course, each individual may receive a different message, but the role
of the photographer is to try to convey his own understanding to his
audience.
The artist must approach the potential view in a manner that is open and
receptive. This may involve certain uncommon viewpoints, or an emphasis
on specific details. In some cases, the elements of a scene may take precedence
over a strictly pictorial representation. Indeed, when the scene, as
encountered, is viewed in a situation that is conducive to photography
and vision, these elements can themselves become the subjects, despite
their seeming lack of real world significance. In particular, I sometimes
find the elements of line, light, and texture to be interesting and
compelling, overshadowing simple subject content.
However, this tendency toward formalism must still
be presented within the whole of an overall meaningful structure. I like
to work within the intersection of formalism, representation, and
conceptualism. While formal elements are generally chosen to present an
interesting, or aesthetic,
image, representation can never be wholly avoided with photography.
Indeed, the object represented in the
image is often crucial to the meaning being attempted. Nevertheless,
there should be some underlying idea, or concept, that attempts to unify
the series or collection of images. Although these concepts must of
course be, as all art must be, personal, they should also connect to
universal or widely experienced concerns and issues.
These structures that I present increasingly
consist of photo series; or “Sonatas” when accompanied by prose or
verse. The images in one of these series are generally photographed
first, usually reflecting a particular location, printed, then ordered to a
natural flow based on “feeling”, or a general story idea, not a set
narrative. The text is then written, based on the picture sequence, in
order to try to convey that feeling experienced when looking through the
sequence and communicate the message thereby engendered.
In music, words and lyrics are often written
separately. Either can be first. Words, or a story, can be written, and
a suitable melody can be searched for. Conversely, a story can be
written that reflects, or is inspired by, the feelings evoked by the
melody. This would be similar to what I am trying to achieve here.
While the found photograph has always been the foundation of my praxis,
current projects are moving in the direction of more directorial works.
In particular, the "Sonatas" series concept will inevitably require a more
active hand in image design.
I prefer a fairly literal representation of reality when printing the
negative, and tend to eschew overt dramatization. Hence, my prints
suffer from only minimal manipulation. Addition and subtraction of
elements, while possible in the darkroom (albeit not easily) is also
absent. Tone and contrast controls such as burning and dodging are
present, but minimized. I feel that a presentation that is not fairly
realistic is somehow not "proper", at least for me. No black skies at
noon and perpetual brooding storms!
I really feel that the viewer should get a sense of
place; a grounding in the here and present, not the cosmetically
enhanced escapism that feels easy, but hollow. Reality should be brought
out to view, not embellished. I want to make the things that are real to
me - real to you!
Updated 2/13/2022