When I was young, I was taught to see the forest through the trees. But when I look into the woods, all I ever see are leaves. The little things are what I notice, a trait that truly defines my photographic style. I find that looking at the details, from very unexpected angles, turns the seemingly mundane into art, with a life, and essence, of its own.
Much of my work is abstract, using techniques that defy traditional rules. My goal isn’t to take a ‘perfect’ or ‘realistic’ photo, but rather to capture the essence of the subject – the confluence of emotion, movement, color, and shape.
My philosophy on candid portraiture is simple: Create an auspicious environment in which to shoot, engage the subject in that environment, and then…sit back and observe them being themselves, ready to capture the beauty of who they really are.
Some of my favorite subjects are Maggie and Rocky, the Labrador Retrievers who share a home with my wife Kathleen and our daughters in Sherborn, Mass. There is never a dull moment in the world of a dog, particularly with so many socks to steal and mayhem to create. Maggie and Rocky often accompany us to our summer home in Nantucket, where they create all kinds of wonderful mischief for me to capture through my lens.