Some people talk about photography as a hobby, creative expression or as a vocation. I just see it as part of who I am. Photography has taught me to see things in the world that other people don't see. I have always worked in black and white because the world I see it full of lines, geometries and textures. My subject matter is varied, but the approach is the same throughout.
My work is entirely film based and hand printed on silver gelatin paper. For me, the craft of photography is as important as the art and vision. A large part of my creative process occurs in the darkroom. The image on the negative is only the start of the process. In the darkroom, I can interpret the negative in different ways by darkening some areas, lightening others, or changing the contrast to create the final image. Most of the images are toned in some way using archival toners such as sepia, selenium and gold. I use toning to empathize the mood I am trying to capture and to provide depth to the print without sacrificing detail. Much of my work involves lith printing. Lith printing is a highly specialized form of silver gelatin printing that produces unique tones and a gritty texture that varies widely depending on the paper, developer and toning choices. All of these printing methods combined with the image on the negative allow me to show people what I am seeing.....and help me to see better.