Meet the Artist

          The phrase “a snapshot in time” suggests that photography is a neutral record, like an official record of objective truth. While photographs may document what was physically present, they are never objective. As an artist, my snapshots represent reality as I see it through my own lens. What I choose to notice, compose and capture is shaped by my curiosity, my values, my insight and sometimes my humor. Through my focus and framing, I attempt to communicate not just what I saw, but how I understood the moment. When successful, the image carries the same intensity as I felt when I created it.

 

          My artistic process begins as a curious observer of life. Oftentimes, I will ask to be driven to school because I often want to photograph things I see on the way. If I have to drive, I will occasionally ask a passenger to snap a shot of something for me. But I discovered the hard way that their artistic sensibilities were quite different than my own. How could we look in the same direction and see such vastly different scenes? That experience is how I realized that my perspective was different, I saw something beautiful and interesting, and I wanted to share it with others.

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          As with any form of communication, photographs can be interpreted in a variety of ways and their meaning can be even more ambiguous. My goal as an artist is to communicate my interpretation and meaning through my work, but I accept that everyone has their own lens through which they observe it. In that sense, I view my art simply as a form of communication that offers more than words can convey and I feel successful when someone looks at my work and understands what I was feeling when I created it.

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          Artistic growth often comes through frustration. Oftentimes, the technical aspects of producing the image that I see in my mind’s eye is often beyond my current abilities. The gap between visualization and execution tests my patience and discipline. When I cannot produce what I see in my mind into a photograph, I am forced to face my limitations and refine my craft. An equally challenging experience is missing a moment because I wasn’t camera ready at all. I once followed a father and son walking from a parking lot to a soccer field for practice. It was a typical day as I was heading to practice with my team, too. But in a moment, the father and son exchanged laughter and a knowing glance, but my camera was nowhere near me. Missing that image made me aware of how fleeting those small moments can be and how being prepared is as important as being present.

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          To be an artist is to convey a message or feeling through a visual medium, but the highlight of being an artist is to experience that shared connection with the viewer. Photography is my medium of choice because it allows me to translate real-world experiences into a form that invites connection. When someone recognizes the feeling in my photograph that I experienced while creating it, then I consider that a success.