I am a photographic chauvinist; I really believe photography's ability to ³fossilize light² makes for a connection to reality that breeds more emotional involvement than any other art media. I consider myself a photographer first and a digital artist second. Whenever my images are composites, all the parts of the final prints are from photographs I made in the first place.
Over the past decade, my images have become increasingly stylized and pictorial in nature. When I first moved my image-making into the digital arena four years ago, it was the logical embracing of a very practical and proper tool for the task at hand rather than a wildass, contrived venture into technoculture.
I am still very concerned with visual intrigue and beauty. By printing in platinum, I've sought to maintain an historic link with the more traditional emotional responses surrounding the fine printed photographic image. Hybridizing digital control with the platinum printing process has freed me from the constraints of the wet darkroom (believe me, working with handcoated platinum has kept me very much immersed in the conventional aspects of photography!) and has let me discover a new visual playground. I sometimes describe digital imaging as just another realm where photographers can make unplanned mistakes that lead to discovery and artistic growth.
The history of photography has been the story of a medium that evolves as new equipment is developed. To tell you the truth, I'm ready for the next technical development in photography. Maybe this time it can be something optical, like flexible lens elements that change shape to alter focal length and correct for aberrations. Whatever it is, the way we make images and the kind of images we make will be different and exciting. That's the nature of the medium and it explains the impact digital imaging has had on photography.
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