Stories

I have been asked by many, “Why photography?”. It’s not an easy answer and if you aren’t in the mood for some philosophical rambling, then you should just click on the photo link and look at the pictures.

I get that question most often from people who know me. I’ve been an artist all my life. I’ve always had a favorite medium… it just changed from year to year. Sculpture was a big favorite. I loved creating something from nothing. A blob of clay became the form of a person. It was very satisfying and, I might add, great food for my ego… like many artists, the heat of creativity can make me feel very god like.

Several years ago, I started doing some reflecting… and the first thing I ran into during that inward look, was my ego… it was huge. I couldn’t get around it. Now that might not sound like a big shocker to many (especially those who have known me for a while). Let’s face it, most artists, especially ones that put a lot of passion behind their art, have big egos. But this inward peek made me realize that my art had never fully satisfied me. That’s probably the reason I changed mediums so frequently.

Needless to say, epiphanies like that don’t go un-punished/rewarded. I found myself floundering. How could I think and feel so harshly about something that had been such a huge part of my life for so long? And worse… How could I continue to feel complete if my one outlet, my one true passion was suddenly tainted with doubt?

The answer came slowly. As with most life changes, it was a slow process. I started to wonder and then explore what was missing. Over a period of about 3 years, my attitude and then my art slowly began to change. It was a subtle change outwardly, but inside, a whole new world was opening to me… quite literally.

The ego issue was still bothering me. I was finding it more and more difficult to become inspired and creative. Then, on a business trip to the West Coast, I happened into a long drive up the pacific coast highway. As we worked our way north from LA to San Francisco over a period of three days, I began to see things that tugged at my most guarded emotions. I had a camera with me and began photographing everything that moved me. (basically, every mile of the trip). I shot eight rolls of film in 2 days. In that time, I realized what was missing before… I wasn’t being humbled by my inspiration. How can an artist share something that elicits emotion, if the artist isn’t in awe of the subject? The answer was simple… Lose the ego and be humbled by your subject. It only took me 33 years to figure it out.

So… back to the original question… “Why photography?”

Photography chose me. It is the one medium that, by it’s nature, forces me to shut-up, watch and listen to the world around me. It teaches me that the thing that inspires has the power, and that I am just the recorder of that power. And since a photograph can never fully capture the emotion of a moment, I will forever be humbled by those moments and only be proud that I can sometimes capture the shadow of a feeling in a frozen moment in time.