Body of Evidence...

So, what have I noticed in this year or so of creating art instead of taking pictures?  First, I still like to take "pictures." I love being outside, I love being on a mission, I love capture a moment.  

Second, the phrase "less is more" is true even in this arena.  I've taken thousands of images in the last year and while part of the enjoyment of the process is being out and capturing them, there is a point to "quality over quantity." So, I'm working on creating a better image before I actually take the image.  

Next, this is a craft, and it will take time.  No amount of gear or technology, or instinct will make up for a bad shot.  So, lighting, subject, setting and composition all must be taken into consideration in order to create that art.  Yes, some shots are still spontaneous, some scenes will still stop us in our tracks and demand that we stop, too.  

Creativity shouldn't have a boundary.  While I will happily place myself in the "Landscape Photography" category, I know I have a lot of images I want to create.  It seems a natural progression in all photography timelines that black and white images begin to populate their portfolio.  Today's digital editing makes this process so much easier, and often times a modern digital camera allows you to switch to a black and white setting while you are out shooting.  So while it might be easy to "make" a black and white image, all this innovation doesn't necessarily make it a "great" image just because it is black and white.  An image still has to have composition, contrast, light, and good black and white qualities.  By adding a Black & White gallery to this site, I hope to keep pushing that aspect of my creativity.

Lastly, the printed work is the most gratifying.  Every printed image is the result of a hundred digital posts, easily.  There are some images that yes, I knew I wanted to print immediately, but then there are the others that were a slow maturation, that only came to printed form after hours of thought and critique.  So, I have my  body of evidence.  I have many pieces hanging around my apartment, and I've taken to putting up prints in the different staff bathrooms at my school. I have sold a few pieces to friends and family, and have galleries hosting others.  I hope to see this part of my work grow, just as I seek to hone my skills and explore new places to find more art.

Thank you, as always, for following along.