What moves me to aim a camera and press the shutter? Peace and tranquility. In a sea of hyper stimulation, environmental bombardment, and mental upheaval, I want to capture calm. Graceful leading lines, pleasing shadows, and warm soothing tones are like a deep cleansing breath.
My search for calm is expressed not only in the subject matter, but in capture method and post production. While I’ll often use digital cameras, I also use various film cameras and pinhole cameras. These alternate capture methods force me to slow down, focus, and be patient. I am more in tune with my subject. In addition to color images, these photos are often processed as black and white images and cyanotype prints. In the reduction of colors, the graphic lines become more pronounced and the calming effect is greater.
This is not to say that things are peaceful all the time. Sometimes to get to the peace I have to express the disturbance, the disquiet. Sometimes the lines are jagged and the shadows are dark. Sometimes the subject is uncomfortable. Yet even within these images I strive towards a calm center. Neutral tones color palate simplification smoothes the raw edge. Contemplating an image, one can detect the calm and the mind relaxes and restores itself.
