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I began photographing at the age of eight. For many years I
attempted to show the world in the same terms it shows itself. Only when
I began to show the world in my terms did I become an artist. Animals provide
us with a visual exercise in light and shade. By isolating them from their
natural habitat and surrounding them with pure white or black I allow the
audience to examine the rich texture of each animal’s physical characteristics
as well as their personality and spirituality.
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I produce these images using traditional black & white silver-based
photographic processes paying close attention to archival methods. I am currently
working on a project that will publish a group of these images.
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The
development of 35 mm cameras, fast films and fast telephoto lenses gave us the tools for photographing wildlife.
These developments coincided with the development of color film giving birth to modern
wildlife photography. I have gone back to concentrate on black & white images of wildlife,
an area that has been largely ignored. I seek to find these images and develop
them using silver, chemical-based photography while that technology is still readily
available.
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My training in journalistic press photography taught me the
beauty of “grainy” images.
Using even faster films (I use a 3200 ISO speed film which I push to speeds
of 6,400, 12,800 and even
25,600). gives me photographs with even larger grain. I am experimenting with a darkroom technique known as
reticulation (combining higher developer temperature with lower fixer temperature
) to increase the impressionistic characteristics of the biggest grain possible. I rely heavily on the darkroom
techniques of pushing development, dodging and burning, and tone my prints with selenium
to give them archival permanence.
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