Elements of Land
Poetic in nature, this portfolio captures the elegance of light and the mystery of shadow. The work made with a four by five inch view camera and hand crafted in a traditional darkroom. Historically, the view camera was the dominant photographic tool of the nineteenth century. Now, large format photography stands for an imaging making philosophy that is: slow, thoughtful, and methodically precise.
Technically, the photographs are direct and sharply focused, sometimes fading into soft, ethereal backgrounds. The work exemplifies a smooth clarity that highlights the inherent visual characteristics of black and white large format photography. The greyscale tonalities also serve to heighten the formal qualities of composition and challenge our perceptions of reality.
Conceptually, the work focuses on creating its own poetry through the personification of landscape. The joy of discovery can be felt through the brilliantly lit geometric patterns of rock faces and tangled strands of grass. The burden of sadness is also celebrated through fallen trees and empty vessels. The work strives to represent these dualities as a balanced rhythm that oscillates between formal representation and pure abstraction.
The silver gelatin prints were hand made by the artist in a darkroom. The equipment and details of this process are highly specific, complicated, and sensitive. Although these historic methods are slow and cumbersome, they offer the viewer an authentic experience to view landscape and appreciate the objectivity of light sensitive materials.
Poetic in nature, this portfolio captures the elegance of light and the mystery of shadow. The work made with a four by five inch view camera and hand crafted in a traditional darkroom. Historically, the view camera was the dominant photographic tool of the nineteenth century. Now, large format photography stands for an imaging making philosophy that is: slow, thoughtful, and methodically precise.
Technically, the photographs are direct and sharply focused, sometimes fading into soft, ethereal backgrounds. The work exemplifies a smooth clarity that highlights the inherent visual characteristics of black and white large format photography. The greyscale tonalities also serve to heighten the formal qualities of composition and challenge our perceptions of reality.
Conceptually, the work focuses on creating its own poetry through the personification of landscape. The joy of discovery can be felt through the brilliantly lit geometric patterns of rock faces and tangled strands of grass. The burden of sadness is also celebrated through fallen trees and empty vessels. The work strives to represent these dualities as a balanced rhythm that oscillates between formal representation and pure abstraction.
The silver gelatin prints were hand made by the artist in a darkroom. The equipment and details of this process are highly specific, complicated, and sensitive. Although these historic methods are slow and cumbersome, they offer the viewer an authentic experience to view landscape and appreciate the objectivity of light sensitive materials.