Artist Statement
When my father bought me my first (film) camera, a Nikon FM10. About a year later I bought my first digital camera, a Sony with a 7.2 megapixel lens, but it was really my Nikon that sparked my creativity as a visual artist. With a personal preference for black and white rather than color film, I found that, compared to my classmates, I spent a greater deal of time playing with a variety of exposures on my test strips and prints in an attempt to find the “perfect” version of my negatives. I realized that my own personal style of photography consisted of image that were slightly overexposed, high in contrast, with a unique take on positive and negative space. Purely black and white, no shades of gray.
I find that my process of creation has evolved quite a bit since then. Now when I look through a viewfinder, not only do I see what is framed in front of me, but I also imagine what I want my end result to be, before I even take the shot. I am not the biggest fan of editing my work, if anything I choose to enhance my exposure, contrast, and/or saturation, only to try and get back to the sharp style of quality that I so often seek to present. More recently I have delved into the realm of color photography (aside from candid shots), where I still seek to create a highly contrasted image, with an emphasis on the use of space and angle of my perspective.
Most of the time I find that my photography draws influence from objects, architecture, and/or nature more so than human beings. I especially love capturing images of distortion, reflection, and playing with light (natural or unnatural). Currently residing in New York City, I’m completely immersed in a setting where my photography can continue to improve and evolve. Being that the city is a bustling place, I find myself seeking to make my art more minimalistic, as compared to how I used to enjoy capturing images that were very busy. I draw a lot of influence from vintage ad campaigns (think Mad Men), because I long to create a style that has a throw back feel to it while still being able to keep it fresh looking and modern.
