I am an established, classically trained artist and painter. My formal training began at the age of nine and what followed were years of schooling and practice.
When I took up photography a few years ago, I was very unsure of what my place and direction in this new medium would be. Because of my extensive art training, my new-found photography took on the same elements of which I have been using most of my life. This is very evident in the two photographs - "Lady of the Lake" and "Cooling on a Summer's Day".
Lady of the Lake
Cooling on a Summer's Day
Both of these photographs were taken on campus in a cement pond. In order to get the classical look, it was necessary to change the background which was accomplished through composite. To my surprise, both images received awards that same year (Photoshop World Conference).
This was when I knew that I was embarking on a whole new artistic journey. I truly felt that I had found my place in photography.
Still feeling inadequate as a photographer, I incorporated an extensive amount of composite, albeit based on my own original work. The results fitted my deep-seated artistic vision.
Silent Moment
My photo, "Silent Moment" is part of a series of photographs taken on a local horse ranch where I utilized custom sewn, Victorian costumes. The connection between model and horse was apparent and perhaps due to the fact that she was the horse's owner. Some manipulating of backgrounds was necessary due to anachronistic elements found around the ranch. Photos were taken at the "golden hour," of course.
Lost
Diverging away from Realism, I started experimenting with Steampunk and Apocalyptic themes, expanding my use of composite.
I really do love the Steampunk genre. What I love most is its atmosphere of conflicting extremes, old and new, conscience and mechanical, man and machine. There is something very timeless about the Steampunk culture. It ties nicely with my love of sci-fi, fantasy, vintage clothing, illustration and photography. I enjoy capturing timelessness in my work, and in such an alternative reality, I can play with a myriad of ways to bring that reality to life in a time and place of its very own. When it comes to Steampunk, Apocalyptic, or Fantasy Art, I like to believe that anything and everything is possible. I enjoy challenging myself with unusually complexed concepts and intriguing scenarios. Personally, I am having way too much fun with my obsession, evidenced by a number of photo series with my friends and family as models, willing to play dress-up and adopt the characters of travelers, mad scientist, and outlaw bandits, etc. And as much as I enjoy these shoots for themselves, the real appeal for me is in manipulation. They become timeless dystopian, weird derivative and wonderful.
Mad Scientist / Steampunk Man
However, I sometimes do no manipulation at all. Many of my photos are just unmanipulated, "in camera" photos. I often enjoy this pure form of photography as in the photos, "Summer's Call" and "Artist". Even without composite, these photos still fall within the circle of my style, and the core of that style is that I love to tell stories. It never ceases to amaze me how much information can be conveyed by a single photograph.
Artist / Summer's Call
Photography is the revenue of my self-expression. I form images to identify with hidden qualities within myself. It is my desire to communicate, and to translate and interoperate the world around me into visual linguistics. My photographic goal is to use my camera as a painting tool, to paint new uncharted worlds, as a place of self-discovery, and more importantly, as a vehicle for telling new and untold stories.
Love in the fast lane where life is a fleeting kiss