Most of my photographs are “realistic” in that they seek to portray aspects of the natural world as I see them. However, I sometimes “transform” what I see through in-camera techniques (taking multiple exposures, panning, using Lensbaby lenses, etc.) or in the computer; these images include explanatory labels indicating the method used to transform the photograph. In all of my images I seek to convey the visual qualities that caught my eye in a way that is evocative.

"Birds of the Deep Waters" is a new creative approach for me.  For this body of work I combined photographs of water birds like herons and egrets with photographs of water to evoke fundamental human experiences and emotions.  These composite images were desaturated and tone to create images of deep resonance and feeling.

I make my photographs with a DSLR and optimize them on the computer before printing them with archival ink and paper. Through this process I have tremendous control over the final image.

My photography initially focused on making individual images as I found them in my walks and hikes both near home and while traveling. More recently, my photography has been centered on developing collections of images that are related to one another and that develop a theme or idea. Examples include the creation of butterfly diptychs or the development of more extensive bodies of work that involve photographing a subject across multiple years. Not surprisingly for someone doing photography in nature, these projects tend to be based in different seasons. For example, I am currently working on “leaves in ice” during the winter, “spring ephemeral wildflowers” in the spring, and “garden flowers” and “butterflies” in the summer. “Birds in flight” is a body of work that crosses several seasons.

I especially enjoy taking photographs of details in nature. I enjoy exploring these small “hidden” worlds and I take delight in sharing what I’ve seen with others. The process of taking these photographs often is rewarding in itself: Something catches my eye and leads me to stop and explore it visually, which causes me to slow down and be “in the moment.” Often, that initial process opens up a new world to me, and I find myself being drawn to other details nearby and loosing track of time.

I love to learn. I continue to take workshops with and study the work of a wide range of photographers. For example, from John Shaw I have learned many technical issues and an attention to details within the image, from Tony Sweet I have learned to cultivate a creative response to what I see, and from Kent Mason and Barbara Southworth I have been inspired to learn more about the subjects I photograph and to use my photography to support preservation of the natural world. Eliot Cohen has been my primary guide in developing skills in using Photoshop and Lightroom.