Friday, July 6, 2018

How Photography Can Reach You


How photography can reach you.

Yesterday I sold a print of this dune melody I made in Death Valley a few years ago. It's been a popular seller and for that I'm thankful. This buyer, from the East Coast loves imagery of the West. This is a pretty common phenom.....craving something that's not in your own backyard. This photograph looks great large and he already has a place designated for presentation.

The buyer and I had a wonderful discussion about photography. I'm always fascinated with the reasons why people invest in certain images. And, the answers often surprise me. But, that's art. Everyone appreciates art in different ways. Their interpretations may differ and hold no connection to what the artist envisioned whatsoever. 

My favorite saying is, "It only matters that it matters to you." Yet, most of the photography hanging in our home is from other photographers. I adore the medium and multiple visions from varied visual artists.

He asked if I had a personal favorite from my trip to Death Valley. I said I did have one. (It's the second image added here). I explained my early influences in the medium were less from Ansel Adams (he used that reference) and more from Edward Weston, Paul Caponigro, Minor White, Jerry Uelsmann, Alfred Stieglitz, Margarete Bourke-White, Dorothy Lange, Sebastio Salgado, to name a few.

I told him this image of the dying bush in dark volcanic soil hit me on a deeper level. I saw something very different than what existed before me. This idea comes from an old photography theory known as "Equivalence". I saw a solar system exploding in stars and the bush was like a flower holding the universe in it's grasp. No doubt, a moment I was fully absorbed in. And though it doesn't matter, that vision has been replicated in the minds of others. They felt the same thing I did while in the field.

Pretty cool.



Adams used to say that if he had 6 good shots in a day, it was a fine day.

That day was one of mine.


Tech Info on Dunes Photograph:
ISO 100 1/13th sec. @ F/40 with 400mm Nikon Lens, shot on Dec. 5th 2014 at 5:44 p.m.

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