Solitude 

I truly enjoy what I call, “the Hunt for the Elusive Magical Image”. I find it difficult to define that image, but I’m always aware of a comment from a photography friend. “Why do I have to define it, it should be enough that I find beauty in it myself.” Even with that thought in my mind, I like to try to define my photographs.

When I photograph, I grab my gear and head toward a predetermined destination with a plan for the day. History has proven that normally I neither arrive at my destination nor stick to my plan. I react to the conditions I find myself in. I look for strong affects from the surrounding light. I always work with light sources as I find them; the sun, moon, stars, street lights… My photographs represent simple presentations of isolated and possible forgotten places where one might spend a private moment of solitude.

Sharing my “Solitude” project allows you to enter a simple world, which I truly enjoy. I have found spots that have seemingly been forgotten and neglected by today’s fast paced society. These spots draw me to them because of the solitude they allow me. In my solitude, I am able to reflect on simpler times shared with my loved ones.

It is my pleasure to share these “Elusive Magical Images” with you.

Optical Shards 

We are surrounded by windows that reflect light. There are often reflections inside reflections that we dismiss, don’t acknowledge, or even see. These optical shards disappear with a turn of the head or a step to the right. Familiar, but also worth a second look and consideration.

As I photograph reflections, I muse on feelings I forgot to feel, details I didn’t notice, dreams I can’t quite recall, conversations I don’t understand, and places I miss in my rush through life. Just out of reach, but for me, still worth pursuing.

REFLECTIONS: A Moment in Time

The images reflected on the surface of a building tell us about the surrounding environment, the lighting at that moment, and the surface on which the image is reflected.

With a particular interest in architecture, I am drawn to buildings that are intentionally designed to create a dynamic relationship with their environment. Buildings with reflective surfaces such as glass, polished steel, and copper are constantly changing with the light. I am fascinated by the way the light abstracts the surrounding environment and creates continually changing images.

 It has been a challenge to control the aesthetic qualities of each photograph, and the surprising results are rewarding.

In Your Face – The Mannequins Look Back

Mannequin heads have fascinated me for years. I frequently find them looking back at me when I look at the world through my camera. Some are attached to bodies and some not. Some of them are sad and battered with chips and stains and bad hair or no hair; some are smooth and perfect if a little blank and submissive. They are inanimate, and yet I feel a connection with them and want to tell their stories.

The faces in this collection look at the camera as though they were human, with consciousness and attitude, meeting the world in their individual ways. They are active participants, projecting their personalities, rather than passive objects. In their photographs, they are alive.

 

Urban Reflections

A lover of the sky, I often look up for consolation. Walking in the city, I see the sky’s light dancing on the old and new architecture. My challenge, or delight is capturing their interaction in a photograph. A myriad of moods can take over as the reflections enhance the images. Looking in on these transformations helps us see the fleeting nature of who we are, and what our created landscapes can become.

The need for innovation is tempered by the commitment to preserve what is beautiful in the old. As a photographer I explore the ever-changing urban space. My hope is that viewers will explore and find glimpses of beauty and history reflected in many urban cityscapes.

Flora

The concept behind “Flora” is to bring me closer to nature and the intricate details and colors of flowers. I am particularly drawn to tropical flowers which are often called exotics. I find that close-up photography using a macro lens gives me the opportunity to discover and observe a whole new world of patterns that, for me, generate positive emotions, ranging from calm to delight.

I first started exploring this form of photography by chance during a workshop involving a single hibiscus flower. I have been quite surprised to find that macro photography appeals to me (not unlike seeing art on a canvas) as an experience full of surprises, where I don’t know what to expect until I see what the seemingly unrecognizable image brings forth. For me, this has opened a new world of exploration and curiosity as I search out details in everyday life. The journey has taken me to new places where I often discover the myriad ways in which an image may surprise, please and intrigue.

Once Upon A Time

This work is a collaboration between myself and my 15 year old daughter.  

We work intuitively, with no script or agenda. She dresses up, I follow. I am beholden to her, capturing moments which toggle between fantasy and reality, as she tells her story. I am like a spectator in the audience who has been given a chance to peek behind the curtain and capture her world.  

The process is much like childhood, at times, playful and joyful, at other times, frustrating and confusing.   The result of our collaboration is a series of photos that depict her creativity and imagination.  

It is an honor, a privilege.  It is also fleeting.  I relish these moments, as I know their occurrence will dwindle as she makes her way into womanhood.

Children of the World / Boston

I’ve always been interested in my own family’s immigrant origins. Where did we come from, and how does that make us who we are? How do parents, who emigrated to the U.S. from other places, help their children understand who they are, in their new world?

I met many immigrant families in my job as a social worker, and was fascinated to learn more about their lives. I began photographing the children, and listened to how they understood their family’s immigrant story. Photographing them in their homes here in Boston, I love to see how they ‘become Americans’, and at the same time hold on to some of their identity from the home country. A mother from Pakistan dresses her daughter in a sari, and the little girl only wants Barbie dolls.  A boy from Cape Verde plays African drums, and also loves baseball.

Children of the World | Boston is a story, in photographs and words, about children of immigrant families who live in Boston. My goal is to photograph children from different countries, all living in the Boston area. I interview each family to learn about their experiences living in the U.S., and here in Boston. I ask the parents and children to talk about their identities. A 12 year-old boy said, “I was born in America, but my parents are from the Caribbean. I’m American by citizenship, but ‘American’ is just a label… my blood is from Dominica.”

I want to introduce these different worlds and cultures to a wider audience. My hope is that the viewer will learn something about the ‘children of the world’ here among us.

Celebration Of Trees        

I have to see a bit of nature every day to maintain my inner balance. Whether I am in the city or exploring outside, trees have a soothing power over me. The relationship between human kind and nature is crucial to our survival as a species and fundamental to my daily life. On exhibit here are a Kauri tree from a rain forest in New Zealand and a Dawn Redwood at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Throughout the world trees reduce air temperature, shade surfaces, absorb noise, reduce glare, absorb potentially harmful gases like carbon dioxide and provide habitat for animals. Their beauty transcends time and distance throughout the world.