Artist's Statement

A fine art photograph should be visually stunning not only technically, but capable of calling up a deep emotional connection with the viewer. Recall that feeling you have when an inspiring piece of music is played, and you have a visceral reaction to it. Well, that is what I strive for in every fine art photograph I create. I want my images to sing to the viewer in the same way a beautiful musical composition does.

I believe my photography achieves this level of excellence because I have a great eye for composition and color, and I work extremely hard. I travel extensively each year to photograph and have done so for over 25 years. During these travels, I discipline myself to capture one of a kind, unique landscape images by photographing during the first and last light of the day, and during unusual weather events. Also, I often visit the same location many times until I get the image I am after. I usually know when I come upon this kind of emotionally powerful scene because, while creating the image, I literally begin to shake, and I start babbling about how great the scene is, even if no one is listening. I am so absorbed in this process that I have on occasion accidently cut or bruised myself on a rock or a piece of equipment and not even been aware of it. I photograph the drama of nature, and my goal is for you to experience a little of this when viewing my photographs, minus the cuts and bruises of course.

But this is only the beginning of creating a fine art photograph. The full impact of my images appears only after post processing the original raw file capture. I first correct the tonality and colors. Then I make sure the image is as simple in composition as I can make it. To do this, I clone out distracting elements, and at times I will stretch the image to hide unwanted parts or strengthen the composition. I then use a variety of image editing programs to enhance contrast, make colors pop, and generally alter the picture so that the image emerges into an affirmation of the emotions I felt when I photographed it. Only then does the image become a fine art photograph. I am very careful to maintain believability, and when you view my images they look totally plausible, even though they are different from what you would have seen through my viewfinder when the initial capture was made. My images go beyond the literal interpretation of a scene, replacing it with the personal vision and emotion I bring to my photography. In other words, my images are created by me, not just my camera.

Even though I have photographed for many years, I honestly feel my work gets better every year. The inspiration I feel when photographing has never abated — I simply love what I do, and it has been, and continues to be, my life’s passion. I shoot almost exclusively with a medium format digital camera, and my goal is to capture as many landscape and nature images as possible in the coming years with this extraordinary camera. I feel my greatest work is before me.