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Drive-ins, Junkyards
and Cemeteries |
Beautiful places, people and things crumble into dust, forgotten, and lost. These are the images that mark their passing. Remember them fondly. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> |
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What
is the first photograph you remember taking? It was a sad day. My pet kitten had been run over by our landlord's car as she backed out of her garage. I was six. I cried and snapped a picture of my kitten so that I wouldn't truly loose it. The camera was a toy. I didn't realize that there was no picture. What got you interested in photography? I always wanted to make movies and decided to start with still photography. Every one of my pictures is really a still of a movie. That's how I see it. Who or what are your biggest influences in photography? I like to see things in a different light, and make those images come to life. I work hard at this, but rarely get it right. When it comes out close, it's all worth while. What draws you to your subject matter? I have no idea. I love dark, lost and lonely places. I like the idea that I've captured an image of something as it looks in my perfect world, not as it really is. I suppose it's a weakness in character to always want solitude and escape, but it's very gratifying. I find a strange beauty in places where people don't want to go. Dilapidated and depressing places suck sadness out of me. Sorry that I'm getting trite. I can't think of a better way to describe it. In the past, I've used photo studies to find myself in places that I shouldn't be and out of the way places (those places that you see in my photos). Do you plan out your shots out or do you just "go with the flow"? I plan out shots for the more commercial things I work on, but the best images just happen. Some times I have no idea that I've got a great shot until I've spent some time with them. Sometimes, I swear that I have an awesome shot only to find that it doesn't work at all. Do you prefer black and white photos or color and why? I like both for different reasons. I usually take color and black and white shots at the same time, just in case there's something there that I can't see at the moment. I sometimes like the way a color print looks as a black and white. There's a black and white print paper called panalure that allows you to make black and white prints with color negatives. Panalure gives a great tonal range that is usually difficult with black and white negatives (at least it can be difficult for me). The tonal range from cold to warm in the same photo brings a new life to an image. Of course, there's always Photoshop. I find that there's something about the shot that lends itself to color or black and white. I'm not sure why. Do you develop/prefer-to-develop your own film and why? I'm not good enough to develop my own negatives for effect. I only develop my negatives while closely following the developer's instructions. I get more rebellious during the print process. Have you had any showings of your work and where? I currently have a show up at Studio 820 on Post Street in 5 points. This is my first solo show. I've had drawings, photos, and movie shorts on display in high-school, college and misc. galleries. I've worked commercially for years doing CD covers, video box covers, movie posters, publicity stills, etc. For the last three years I have been the commercial designer for ALLTEL Information Systems here in Jacksonville. Do you have any shows planned in the near future? Since I don't usually show my work, no. The work that is currently up is the content for a book that I am working on with the same name, 'Drive-ins, Junkyards and Cemeteries.' That's where I will be showing next most likely. Where can people find your work online, and is it for sale? |
