I enjoy creating
images like this. I don’t go out with the intention
of making them, they seem to come about at the end
of an engaging photo event - and I say event, as
sadly, I don’t photograph much. I know, I know, but
that is an entirely other story. When I do get my
camera out of the bag, the scenario usually plays
out something close to the following: initially, I
get so excited, my eyes dart in every direction and
I continually press the shutter, moving from one
subject to the next. Until at last, I begin to see
a little more perceptively, breathe a little more
slowly, and if I stay with it, I finally settle and
quietly take in the subject. It could be a shape or
form, a color, line, or texture that catches my
attention. After choosing what I would like to try
to express, I make a conscious effort to place an
element or elements in front of my subject so I
have to shoot through them as I focus on my
subject. Vignetting, using them as a sort of soft
focus filter, or adding another layer of color.
When it all comes together, the results exceed all
I could have imagined. I’m never sure if what I am
feeling will translate to a successful image until
I look at it for the first time.
Fellow photographers often ask how I create these selective focus images. It is difficult for me to respond beyond the technical aspects. When I look at them, I can recall precisely, the moments, as I photographed. I breath in the smells and feel the ground beneath me. I can hear the sounds or voices of others that surrounded me while I was working. The images are the result of an interlude, a few moments of total immersion. They are simply my attempt to provide a provoking glimpse of the subject, and perhaps, even the photographer.
Fellow photographers often ask how I create these selective focus images. It is difficult for me to respond beyond the technical aspects. When I look at them, I can recall precisely, the moments, as I photographed. I breath in the smells and feel the ground beneath me. I can hear the sounds or voices of others that surrounded me while I was working. The images are the result of an interlude, a few moments of total immersion. They are simply my attempt to provide a provoking glimpse of the subject, and perhaps, even the photographer.
