I have been a professional photographer for over 30 years. Most of my career was in Yellowknife,
Northwest Territories where my work was frequently published and exhibited.
My family and I moved to Gabriola Island in 2006. I am now semi-retired, concentrating on my personal work with an emphasis on natural subjects. I have exhibited regularly at various locations on Gabriola as well as producing major solo exhibits at the Nanaimo Art Gallery and at the Martin Batchelor Gallery in Victoria.
Why?
The pictures on this site are a sampling of the themes that have driven my personal photography.
Most of the images are of natural subjects. They reflect an awareness of our world that has evolved through experience and contemplation since the 1970s.
In my perception, we are part of a reality that is mysterious and vastly complex. Our seemingly material world is based on energy and information, often appearing chaotic but with underlying order. Life on our planet is a unique and astounding manifestation of the grandeur of our cosmos.
Humans are gifted and challenged by our place in the universe. We have sufficient consciousness for limited appreciation of the wonders that surround us, an awareness that we truly understand almost nothing, and the opportunity to exercise our free will to seek broader comprehension of the greater whole.
My photographs record moments when my perception of the natural world is at its strongest. When they succeed, viewers may have some inkling of the wonder that I experience in nature. That wonder is based on a sense of the energy and processes that are the underpinnings of our planet’s ecosphere.
My approach has much in common with a photographic philosophy termed “Equivalence”.
Many view nature photographs as irrelevant in our increasingly artificial, narcissistic society. Perhaps I am naïve, but I believe the future of humanity lies in embracing our magnificent multi-layered world rather than poisoning it for profit.
The urban photographs on the site are a counterpoint to the nature studies. Some represent my response to human indifference to the wondrous planet that keeps us alive. Others are largely studies in form, texture, and colour. Even the latter say something the crudity of our built environment compared to the rich beauty of the environment from which we extract the materials.
How?
My photographs are intended for repeated viewing over time, rather than for the ephemeral world of the Web. Therefore my main focus is on production of fine digital prints in sizes up to 30x40 inches.
My approach is to make expressive prints with a high degree of interpretation, while being subtle about how this is accomplished. My methods tend to be relatively simple, rooted in classic darkroom techniques implemented in Photoshop.
I like my photographs to look like photographs. The natural subjects that I tend to photograph are sufficient unto themselves. I cannot help thinking that those who feel a need to embellish nature with “creative” digital filters have not really been paying attention to their subject matter.
I am equally comfortable with both film and digital cameras. I like the quality and convenience of digital. The character of film, and the fun of using vintage equipment, keep me active in that realm.
Scanning and image adjustments are entirely my own work. I make prints up to 12x18 inches in-house. Larger prints are outsourced, using standards that ensure they are a perfect match for prints made on my own printer.