Bio:
I’ve been taking photos since 1970 when my college roommate lent me his camera, loaded with black and white film. And so it started! Through the university days, I was largely self-taught with a bathroom converted into a dark room. In-between my economics studies, a few fine art classes were squeezed in - composition my favorite. And the passion grew.
After university (BA/Economics, University of Puget Sound 1972), I attended Brooks Institute of Photography (Santa Barbara) for nearly 1 year but with only about 40% of course studies complete. Off to New York, Vancouver Canada and then Olympia to earn a real living using the business degree.
However, burned out from photo school, the camera stayed behind. 35 years of global business travel and retirement approaching. I decided to re-find my photographic "eye".
In the 12 or so years since resuming photography, I’ve entered regional shows and competitions. This has rewarded me with a number of high placings, including “Best in Show” at the Washington State Photographer’s Salon (Washington State Fair), a 2020 Merit Award (Finalist) at the SW Washington Juried Exhibition, a number of honorable mentions and a few published photos.
Artist Statement:
I’ve always been an observer. As a child, my mom asked me what would be my dream job and I said, “Sitting on a park bench watching people!” It is not surprising, I guess, that I like street photography best.
However, the pandemic and rise of street crime has forced me to make some changes in order to keep working. I refuse to photograph people wearing masks, faces hidden. The limited number of people out and about, such as at festivals, is also limiting my available subjects.
What to do? How do I keep photographing? Landscapes?? I dislike photographing landscapes! 99 percent are wall paper or have been photographed a million times, in my opinion. How do I make this something “different”, something my style?
Using my street photography background, I am attempting landscapes as nature’s street photographs. One thing within the landscape is isolated much the like a person on the street would be within that scene.
It takes observation, patience and recognition of the moment to be worth pressing the shutter button. As the “father” of street photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson said - “the decisive moment”. It’s no different in landscapes.
More emphasis is placed on focus placement, light, and atmosphere than would be in a traditional street photo. Photographing in the rain and fog is preferred to “nice weather”. I am also working more and more with mood setting techniques when processing in Photoshop. No trickery – just tone.
All-in-all, a good stretch that will help my people photography someday.
