Photography, Time Travel and Forgotten Memories Remembered & Relived

Photography used to be time travel. We took photographs, and then forgot them. That magic roll of film held the memory safe, tucked away in the dark to be revealed and relived at another time. A trip to the Fotomat was highly anticipated--the roll finished and developed, it offered wonderful surprises, time travel, remembering and...

“You’re Better As You Are Than You Think.”

I traveled across the U.S. last month to a photo shoot in Washington D.C. (drove so I could bring a full studio to the conference) and on the way back, I photographed my partners' Mother and brother at breakfast during a stop in Cincinnati. When I sent them the photographs, her Mother said...well, I'll let...

If You Believe in Something, Keep Going (Though You Will, Anyway!)

Those were the words I heard from someone recently, in regard to having an idea that you're passionate about, that people don't seem to be responding to.  That it's worthwhile to keep at it.  To grow it.  To find an audience, even if it's a niche audience, because what you're doing is eventually going to...

To Keep or Not Keep the Status Quo

There’s a couple next to me at the bar where I'm sitting--I'm writing at Ted's Montana Grill in Boulder.  The guy is eating his dinner in silence because his spouse is on her phone. Occasionally he picks his up, too, because he looks bored. But for the most part, he eats alone, one bite of...

DON’T ‘LIKE’ THESE PHOTOS!

I don't create photographs for likes. I make photographs that will still exist in 50 years, long after the swipe is through, through gallery and book projects. That's why I shoot on film, and make gallery-quality prints. These aren't for likes. I’m looking for two kinds of photographs to make, one for my Roy Stryker...

Why Do We Need Museums When We Have our iPads and Laptops?

It makes me sad when I think about how valuable fine art portraiture is, created on medium or large format film, and yet how few people even know what it is, let alone why they would want to order a portrait like this. The photograph above is a portrait of my Dad, sitting across from...

Photographs Lost: Buried in the Sand by the Digital Undertow

More people are experiencing the glut of photography. It's everywhere, it's instant, it's disposable, and that's exactly where it goes--away. CHILDHOOD MEMORIES I remember when I was a kid, we had professional portraits made every year, and our family would make family portraits that would line the wall alongside the staircase. And all my friends,...

Why I Photograph The Wise

I have a project titled, The Wise Photo Project, where I photograph elderly people on film, because they often have very few photographs taken of them.  Here are my parents, my Dad giving my Mom a kiss as she lies in a hospital bed in the living room of his house.  This is why I...

Portrait at 100

Portrait of a neighbor, at 100 years old.  Leica M2, Summarit f1.5 Lens, Kodak Tri-X Film.  The Wise Photo Project

The Joy of Family (Pictures)

This is why I shoot Elderly Photo Visits.  It gives me the chance to preserve memories that will last long after our parents and grandparents are gone.  And will be cherished by generations to come. I printed this photo and gave it to several family members in frames I picked up at Goodwill (50% off...