The photography of nature is in many ways a poor substitute for the real experience of being out in the field surrounded by the wonder and abundance of nature.. One of my goals as a nature photographer is to encourage the viewer of my work to see nature in a different way. The human eye tends to be inclusive while the camera lens, used to isolate and simplify the visual chaos of nature, is exclusive. I seek to present imagery which captures the viewer's eye and engages their imagination causing them to stop and reflect. Maybe there will be a change in the warp and woof of time. As a photographer, I seek to capture images which speak on behalf of my being as one who, though man himself, feels very connected to the world about him. Images which speak with their own voice and vision to the connection that most people feel to the larger world about them whether or not they are fully aware of its importance.
Throughout my life I have been drawn to the natural environment and my favorite activities have long reflected this bent: bicyclist, rock climber, backpacker, cross-country skier, and traveler. A camera has been part of my essential equipment since my early teens. Yet, my approach to photographic art was for many years haphazard, eclectic, and unfocused, more personal record keeping than deliberate image-making. Despite that, some of my imagery always moved people who found emotional responses in my work despite diverse subject matter. The common thread among these successful images was that they were all made out of doors.
There comes to mind numerous words which describe various aspects of my feelings about and reactions to what is called the natural world, usually defined as everything that is out of doors and shows no part of the hand of man. Words like awe, reverence, mystery, wonder, and magical comprise one facet. Feelings of joy, contentment, and belonging are present in equal measure.
Yet, photography is itself a tool by which I increase and deepen my own bond with the very subjects that I photograph. As a photographer I am no sightseer out to bag another in a long string of places visited. Photography is all about process and I seek to be an intimate and patient observer recording not so much exact detail as would a scientist, but in a patina of associations, memories, and emotions which impart something beyond who I am, and (hopefully) invoke in the viewer something of their own attachment, emotions, and memories. I care not whether my work communicates my exact thoughts. It is enough to know that some of my work reaches into someone else’s heart and draws forth that which is meaningful to them.
We do not live, nor do we work, in a vacuum. Before I can even think about the visual, I must reach far back into my life and pay homage to the music and spirit of George Crumb. Performing works such as Makrokosmos I, Makrokosmos II, and The Ancient Voices of Children opened entire new musical vistas for me and made permanent changes in the way I view the connections of Art and Spirit, lessons learned long ago, lessons which have stayed with me for many years and which, more recently, have contributed to the way I see visual art.
Photographically speaking, those who have gone before are owed a large debt of gratitude for unselfishly communicating their world. They have imparted to those of us who follow their vision, their reverence, their wonder of the world. So doing, they change those who are open to vision beyond their immediate sphere, those who would follow the path they have illumined. Silent mentors such as Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, and Galen Rowell, none of whom I met, have influenced my work and my vision through their passion and craft. They were instrumental in instilling awareness in a sleeping public that the nature we all profess to love is not something to be taken for granted, not something to be exploited and used up without regard for future generations. I am also indebted to my teachers, especially Boyd Norton, Nancy Rotenberg, and Freeman Patterson. I must also credit those among my friends, especially my wife, Dorothy, who have supported my work from the beginning, seeing the potential long before I believed in it. I also owe a much to a friend for shared discussions of photographic subjects and shared work, both of which served as springboards to deeper understanding of the creative process. Without her friendship, my work would not be where it is today.
Much needs still to be done and if my own small voice contributes in any way to restoring balance between man and his environment I will be satisfied. As we are nourished by nature, so do we have the responsibility to nurture what is left to us of nature.
Namasté
Page Last Updated April 11, 2008
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