A collection of nature-based, experimental, and architectural work from around the world.
In nature, I recognize an animated character that exists, an underlying primeval consciousness hidden from analytical logic. Ralph Waldo Emerson recognized this, expressing that “Nature is the symbol of spirit.”
If we open ourselves and listen to the voice of nature, we have the opportunity to learn invaluable lessons held within. In addition to the adoption and aspirational attainment of ecological equilibrium and viability of biodiversity, these lessons are vital for survival of the human species.
The Character of Nature presents assorted images from around the world categorized by fauna, flora, fungi, water/ice/snow, forests, landscapes, and sky.
Contemplative vision and stillness lends itself to connecting with natural space and witnessing moments of time frozen. Drawing upon the philosophy of 18th century Japanese plein air painter, Ike no Taiga, it’s vital to move upon, through, and around the landscapes surrounding us in order to create images that serve as accurate depictions of those natural spaces. Through this movement, we shift our visual vantage point, and by returning to these spaces over and over again at different times of day, as well as through the seasons, we develop an intimate understanding of their changing moods.
Wheeler Peak Wilderness, New Mexico
July 2016
Extended golden-hour light of the far north hits the peaks near Denali overlooking the central Alaska town of Cantwell. May 2017.
Bureh Beach, Sierra Leone
May 2013
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica November 2016
Nestled between the coastal villages of Bureh Beach and John Obey along the Freetown Peninsula lies beautiful Obama Beach. Subjected to the regional practice of sand mining, destruction of sea turtle habitat and of the beautiful golden beaches themselves is a constant threat. Freetown Peninsula, Sierra Leone. May 2013.
North facing view of the Pacific from the summit of Point Dume. Malibu, California. January 2019.
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
November 2016
A contemplative light spreads over the waters and mountain scapes of Attersee in Upper Austria. May 2018.
The astronomical and mythological mysteries of the night sky have held my attention from an early age. As numerous native cultures believe, the cosmos are the home of the ancestors, while historical mythologies identify story-based relationships with constellations and other space-related phenomena for navigation and to understand the cyclical nature of the seasons.
Eclipses, comets, constellations, stars, planets, and the moon are all represented in this gallery with imagery from around the world.
When we look closely at natural phenomena that surrounds us, subtle patterns and layers of light and texture emerge within the greater whole. These abstractions for me hold a representation of seemingly hidden, underlying mysteries held within nature. Minor White, a master photographer who drew upon Zen Buddhist practice in the process of creating deeply symbolic and minimalist imagery, termed this representation as Equivalence. He stated, “One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are.”
Whether working in a digital or film format, the technology of photography offers the potential for creative expression and experimentation with light and subject matter. This series of imagery presents a mixture of my exploration with long-exposure light writing and multi-exposure image making.
The expressive nature of light takes on a depth of emotion when devoid of color, contrasting elements of light and dark. A handful of black and white works are presented here, yet are not limited to this gallery.
Architecture, structures, and interior space impacts our everyday existence in the modern world, affecting our psychology. The elements of architectural design, ranging from urban to pastoral settings, and the relationships of objects to one another within contained space, provoke my aesthetic sensibility of image expression.