Get Off the Trail

Amish Shed
Near Greenville, PA

Insist on yourself. Never imitate.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The best things in life may not necessarily be what are directly ahead of you. Sometimes you have to get off the trail, the road that you are accustomed to;  drive down it and see what it shows you and where it leads.


It's not been until recently, that I have begun to understand my purpose and desire to create images. This is truly one of my many dimensions. It has been true all of my life; it wasn't until I was forced off the road that I realized it.


One of my readers, Dave Lasko, has known me since I first picked up a camera in high school. He viewed my first images with quite some interest and observed my composition. He was an artist and he noticed that I framed things with relative ease. To him its no surprise that I have fallen back to enjoying photography.


It's okay to leave your comfort zone. Explore what Life has to offer. You may be very surprised about the happiness that's within your reach. Just drive off the trail for a bit and see what happens.

Tis The Gift to be Simple

Two Sheds and Barn
Near Greenville, PA

As I mentioned yesterday, I am working on my next card and print series and I am excited at the results.  The tones on the matte card stock are rich and ethereal. I don't know why I have not printed these before. It could very well be that it was not the right time.

You tend to forget some of the places that you have been to and the images you have captured along the journey. For the past eleven years, I stopped and taken the time to note where I am, study the light and frame the image at least in my mind. Often times, I come back another day when I have time to practice my craft.

Capturing the image is only part of the process. The real work starts with the post processing and image interpretation. Letting the image cure over time and letting your skills mature makes for interesting art. The bottom line is simply that I want my viewers to walk away grasping the emotion and warmth of the moment through the filter of my mind's eye.

Andrew Wyeth's paintings have inspired me for many years. If I could paint, my images would resemble his, a style which encompasses fantastic lighting, simple compositions, and romantic landscapes and images.

Keep It Simple

Old Barn Window
Near Claverack, NY

We have so much yet we are more stressed than probably any other time in our short history.  It's quite a contradiction.  How could abundance inflict such misery?  Some of the answers might very well lie in the simple constructions found along the New England and upstate New York country side.

'Tis The Gift To Be Simple

There's an inverse correlation between simple structures and complicated lives.  Simpler reduces our cost of living while elaborate structures demand sustainable standards of living.  One demands more than the other but does not necessarily guarantee a proportionate increase in coveted happiness.  In other words, we give up more than we gain. It extolls on the consumer a human property tax.

As I inventory my life, I think of the things that I would keep and what I could live without.  Yes some of my toys and hobbies are expensive, but I could do without lots of other things.  Quite frankly I don't have to consume as much to be happy.

It could very well be that is the reason that I am drawn to the details of simplicity.  My best work tends to reflect very unsophisticated objects.  I allow my eye and lens to focus on small details and I enjoy their simple stories.