I started this as a character study with pictures of people. It was started in Hawaii, however it is the newest category representing the most challenging shots yet. I am still experimenting trying to find a voice in color, light and consequence with "folk"!
Kid
I love my kids - they bring color to my life. A never ending sense of joy and energy. They are so much fun to photograph. I love catching them in "moments" that reflect the simplicity, innocence and outlandishness of youth.
Lake
Lakes were my life growing up - from remote wilderness vacations in Maine, to fishing on Lake Hopatcong in NJ, to swimming at Boy Scout camp in the approaches to the Catskills - my love of lakes is deep.
As the light falls softly, the colors near lakes are nuanced with echoes of gentle retreat. These little pockets of peace are unknown elsewhere in the universe - aren't they? Perhaps that's what draws people to lakes - the "away" part of the "getaway"!
Land
We spend most of our days walking in the light of the land. The colors revealed in landscapes are vast. I aim to capture the contrasts, shadows, features and breadth of subtle yet profound color in landscapes - as varied as I can find them.
Road
A recent addition to my favorite photo topics is the open road. I love the everyday colors of life along the "journey-ways of in-between". We spend a lot of time "in-between" here and there - the power of light, space and color can influence us on our way - prior to our destination. However, that is only if we take the time to pay attention.
Sea
I spent quite a bit of time at sea, growing up and in the Navy, where the sea became an afterthought at times, even a dreaded assumption. After 3 years on my at-sea counter, I was numb to the ocean and mostly forgot about the beauty of the seas.
Unfortunately, only a few scenes were ever captured from my days in the Navy, but this one spectacular sunset was a reminder of how special that time was - and came at the tail end of my last major worldwide deployment in 2007, whilst coming home from Australia, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.
There are many overwhelming and underwhelming things I've seen at sea, most of which were never photographed - from waves (most were underwhelming) to flying fish, to waterspouts (most were overwhelming, especially when flying near them as a Navy pilot). Hurricanes take the cake!
I've witnessed tumultuous seas from the bridge of a destroyer, as its bow was plunged under the shear face of 25' rogue waves in rough seas. I've also viewed the un-nerving solitude of "dead-pond doldrums" in the deepest part of the Atlantic ocean - as if any pebble thrown might create concentric rings for miles. In hindsight, this photojournal category will now be a benchmark search for anything that even compares to the many faces of the sea that I've seen to date.
Call me Ishmael. The seas are a funny place, and we humans are simply drawn to them.. After all, aren't all humans 75% liquid? We human-fish ought to pay more respect.
Tropic
I spent a good portion of my life in the tropical areas of the world. Hawaii being one of the longest spots I've resided - for nearly 5 years. The character of the tropics is surreal - the Pacific, the Caribbean, Mexico, the Med, Malaysia and even Florida make up some of the most photo-worthy places on Earth. I am mostly attracted to interesting color palettes and light. These pictures are reflective of the unique variation of color as seen in the tropics - including saturation and interactions at the seams - of the natural tropical world with that which is obviously man-made but inspired by nature in those areas.
Flower
I love flowers. Nature's grandeur and splendid brilliance come with every flower we know - unique color blossoms - sent for our enjoyment. To think they are a form of life itself - like the eye of a plant, we can appreciate botanicals as they are the yin to our yang. It even works technically as well - we provide plant food (CO2), and in return they provide the breath of life (O2).
This exchange of life and color is flower-filled emotion that makes us appreciate our own humanity. When done well, our most uniquely celebrated human events; birthdays, weddings, funerals, remembrance - all have a floral component! Have we asked 'why'? Is it color at the foundation of that influence? Flowers have to have some sway over humanity - a unique ability to affect our mood every day in otherwise everyday-life.
Beach
I love photographing the beauty and splendid light of the beach. I've shot beaches around the world, especially while travelling in the US Navy. I've always loved their magnificence, distinctive character and colors. However, when in attendance, we are reminded of their elegant simplicity - sand, surf, sky and sun. Perhaps that simple elegance draws us to the beach each time, yet from these simple rule-sets, complexity.
Sky
These photos were taken high in the equatorial tropics - as a sunlight study in the summer of 2012. The sun's skylight is in contrast to the time of day. this was taken on top of Haleakala rooftop on Maui. This was taken approximately 1 hour before sunrise in that lat/long! ... note the depth of night in the foreground!
Eye spy color!
The eyes have it. The beautiful colors that we carry around with us wherever we go are actually a summation of hues, tones, shades, saturation, contrast and context (what our bodies are currently producing that captures the light).
I think the depths of the eyes are exciting micro-color studies. When you factor in light, thought, perception, focus, and facial emotion, the eyes take on a new character. The eye is the furthest extension of the brain beyond the body, yet reveal a window to the soul.
From a simple "eye color" comes the complete reminder of the wonder and complexity of our own humanity.
B A L L O O N
I took the Balloon series in Arizona on a beautiful excursion across the desert. The colors were vivid, reflecting the energy of the experience. We skimmed only 25 feet above the ground in a long glide at the start, then lifted by flame to nearly 10,000 feet above the Earth. The special thrill was knowing the only thing between us and a long fall was a creaky wicker basket. The touchdown in the desert was skipping along the ground at an undisclosed location, at an angle of about 30 degrees tilt until coming to a stop. We were met with an evening picnic, champagne (and a Ballooner's toast), gourmet edibles, and a beautiful sunset. Perfect colors for a perfect experience.
C o l o r is embedded in the substance of life!
My photographic penchant is color. Color adds zest to life. Color and associated context affects mood - it has equal power to inspire, encourage and provide optimism as it does to throw shadow or negativity at you. As newly realized theme to my photography and now a newly stated goal, I seek to capture inspirational color and optimistic context wherever and whenever I find it. I seek to find it in both man-made and natural beauty that can transfix your soul to imagine, your heart to flutter, and your mind to wonder.
