Commentary
Statement
I hope you enjoy viewing the images here even a fraction as much as I have enjoyed making them. And have I ever enjoyed making them!As I've said over and over again, whenever I travel abroad, I am simply captivated and in awe. I am truly in Wonderland. My photographic images, done in both traditional as well as vastly different contemporary modes, are merely an attempt to recall, recapture and reconstruct the joy I have had while traveling.
Over the past 25 years or so, these travels have consisted mainly of exploring and haunting the haunted and obscure backstreets of small towns and villages throughout Western Europe and Latin America in search of what I call "fallen angels." These once-proud and beautiful buildings and streets, now forgotten and forlorn, occupy what is to me an unforgettable oblivion. Their classic and majestic lines from the glorious past, in combination with the peeling stucco and weathered paint of a grim present, create a special magic. Despite the ravages of time, these fallen angels retain their ageless dignity and continue to radiate an engaging mystery, serenity and spirituality.
In an effort to capture the wonder of these subjects, I process my photos digitally using the latest computer techniques and equipment. My enhancements are then done in one of two ways, both represented here. One way is traditional, in effect a romanticized portrayal of the original subject matter. The other approach is definitely abstract or contemporary. In fact, in many of the latter types, the original subjects are virtually unrecognizable, replaced by images perhaps even more thought provoking and timeless than the actual subjects. In either case, the process of enhancement and image conversion can take up to several days per image. The results are then printed using special archival paper and pigmented inks in a way designed to convey the timeless grace of the original scenes in either a romantic or contemporary way.
