A professor once told me that one of the most difficult tasks in photography is to take an aesthetically attractive person and portray them as having great depth and mystery rather than just a photograph of themselves. My work references the subject and their interaction with the world around them.
Every person in this world has a story and has their own personal, unique, way of being aesthetically intriguing. My work tends to have an overall sense of pensive isolation; the concept of being self-reliant, self-soothing, and strong regardless of one’s situation or lifestyle. I strive to capture not only the likeness of the person(s) but their experiences.
In my current work in other genres, such as nature and still life’s, I continue to try to relay the feeling of strength in uncertainty and the beauty in anonymity. The fact that much of life is uncertain and sometimes difficult emphasizes the importance of acquiring a sense of determination and refinement. This theme has been important in my life in terms of my own survival and personal drive. In my images, I try to show my subjects as being strong or if the model or theme emphasizes weakness, I try to give them an overall strength in their struggle. Petty problems do not interest me, nor do I wish to show those kinds of qualities in my art. I have personally survived the death of several loved ones, as well as other hardships that were particularly difficult to cope with. I know I am not alone in this. The world, especially today, is filled with bigger problems, globally and emotionally. There are situations that cannot and should not be understated. Emotional and physical strength are qualities that I admire in others, and try to exhibit in myself as well as in my work.
Photography, as a passion, did not affect me as it does now until about 5 years ago. During my Associates degree at Corning Community College, in Corning, NY, I took a class as an elective in digital manipulation. I was hooked. I spent the next year taking portraits and generally photographing everything I could, and playing with it in Photoshop. Coming to the Art Institute, became an evolutionary experience, while concentrating on different photography genres several times, I finally found my niche…people.
Photography gives me the chance to experience closeness with my subject that would possibly otherwise be overlooked. Because the world is so fast paced, it is easy not to notice people, especially if they have no particular impact on your day. However, photography gives me the chance to slow down, to pay attention to the person in front of me and who they are and why. It is important to become familiar, or to at least obtain an inquisitive form of compassion with one’s surroundings. It is in this discovery and creation that makes it possible to establish a deeper connection with the people and objects in my life as well as a connection with the power, poetry, and dignity of the world around me. Although there are many ways to be synchronized with the rhythm of one’s own lifestyle, I have chosen to do it by looking through a camera.