Vision and Style
April 2021
Rusted overpass, Albany
I recently presented to my students the concept of
vision and style. In introducing the topic, I dove into my own body of
work. In my journey as a teacher and artist during the past year there has
been a growth and refinement. Stopping now to think about this, the
vision is consistent but perhaps clearer. I have always been interested in
the forgotten, what has been left behind with all of its stories, functions
and importance. In this, I find my own metaphor of beauty. This thread
has been constant since I first started as a student of photography many
years ago. What has noticeably evolved is my style of presentation, my
visual language. In creating lessons, I am looking more to the essence of
the subject, rather than a grand description. I’m moving closer to my
subject, including elements such as line and metaphor to suggest what is
outside of the photograph. Working in black and white has stripped the
distraction of color but also strengthened the arrangement of pictorial
elements and attention to detail. These stylistic concerns have elevated
artistic quality.
Bicentennial Barn, East Greenwich
But the most important growth I have experienced is being more aware of
what it is I am trying to convey in the image, my message, my vision. This
is at the heart of all expressive photography; knowing the emotions that
compel you to make the photograph. The subject is of paramount
importance, but it is the ‘why’ of making the image that communicates
personal meaning. This is the reason we continue to make photographs.
This is the lesson I am trying to pass on to my students and makes me
understand how much of a student I still am.
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