Philosophy Statement

I once had a conversation with someone on the topic of deaths in the family.  The discussion naturally drifted to the day of my only grandpa’s funeral back in May of 1994.  It was the first major death in my family and since I’d grown up without a father, the loss of the only real father figure in my life was particularly difficult to get through.  I instinctively started to push back any memories I had of the day in order to keep the memories I had of my grandpa while alive fresh in my mind. In doing so, I hadn’t realized I was making this nearly impossible, because during the funeral and subsequent get-togethers, there were countless stories passed around about my grandpa as a child, an adult, a father, a farmer, and a grandfather.  In trying to forget about that day, I was simultaneously erasing any memories I had of the stories I’d been told.

A few years later, I came across some photos of my family the day of my grandpa’s funeral, and I noticed that the photos that triggered the most memories were not of the posed family shots where everyone was stiff, rigid, and trying to smile while simultaneously trying not to cry, but of the random ones of small details of the day.  I pulled out a photo that showed the image of a picnic table with half-empty glasses and “sweaty” water cups that others had left behind.  In the background was my grandma sitting in a lawn chair, surrounded by family members, no doubt talking about my grandpa.  It was a completely random shot, but it captured small details that you wouldn’t see in a posed portrait shot.  Seeing the water cups reminded me of how warm it was that afternoon, and that in turn brought back all sorts of memories of the day that I’d previously pushed away.  It was almost suffocating the way things came flooding back.  And it was all triggered by a minute detail to which I never would have given a second thought.

Ever since then, I’ve noticed that when looking at photos of events that had meaning for me, it was always the random photo that triggered the strongest memories.  Combined with the posed family shots (after all, I like looking back and remembering what my family & friends looked like), the random shots made for the strongest memories.

I like to apply the same principle to the photos I take to this day; whether they are documentary, wedding, event, or product shots, etc.  I look for simple details that emphasize the importance of the item or event.  I do my best to put myself in the shoes of the person for which I’m shooting, and try to make an image that will make people remember, whether it’s how much they enjoy a product (or want to try a product), or exactly how they felt the day they got married.  In addition to the traditional approach, I try to incorporate this idea in everything I shoot.  In my own way, I want to create images that will truly last, both in physicality and mentality.