Fine Art
Psychological imperfections, the human condition, and social issues are recurring
themes in these fine art prints. Beautiful photos are plentiful, however, I am interested in those that
take us to places that scare us, challenge us to explore our thinking, and ultimately show us reflections
of ourselves that may not be recognizable.
The images stand alone or work in series as narratives, much like the stream of
consciousness found in Southern gothic novels by William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor,
Harper Lee, and Truman Capote. As in the photography of Clarence John Laughlin and
Gregory Crewdson, some series have an air of eeriness and antiquity.
To further differentiate the fine art images, historical alternative processes are used
that date back to early 1900 (kallitype, cyanotype, bromoil, VanDyke brown, and
platinum/palladium). These prints are one of a kind and are a unique marriage of
old and new technology. Photos are made by a wide gamut of cameras and scanned into
Photoshop, where they are digitally made into negatives. They are then contact printed
onto a chemically sensitized substrate, exposed to ultraviolet light and developed.
Portraiture
Arnold Newman championed the environmental portrait in the mid 1930’s, and I
believe, as did he, that the portrait should be a biography of the client, photographed in his or her
environment or comfort zone. For children’s photos, I prefer a kid being a kid playing, interacting
with other children, exploring nature, or with a love object. I spend time with my subjects before a
shoot to get a sense of their personalities and make that essential emotional connection that ultimately
will be captured in the photograph. Natural light is used when possible and site-specific locations are
easily arranged. Enhanced photographs are available with hand coloring, painting, and tinting. Portraits
are available in black and white, color, or alternative processes.
Commercial Art
In the commercial world, it is easy to find the slick, polished studio look,
but I offer a more creative organic and dynamic approach. Props found in outdoor environments find their
way into client’s products, and offbeat location shots are common for the client who wants an edgy, different
look.
Documentary
"Trade Day" is a long-term documentary project that captures the changing face of the
South. Set in the rural community of Collinsville, Alabama, very close to my mother’s home place, the
multi-acre flea market began as a barter day for local farm folk. People from various parts of the globe
now come to this small community to sell their wares at this weekly Saturday event.
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