Artist, Dreamer, Doer, Painter, Photographer, Thinker, Designer, Creator, Inquisitor.
Over ten years ago, I picked up a second-hand camera in a pawnshop outside Orlando, Florida. I was lucky enough to be heading out to Europe for six months and needed a camera quickly. I didn't have time to make sure the camera (an all-manual Fuji STX-2) worked before hopping on the plane. Upon landing in Paris, I started taking pictures and a few days later got my first rolls back from the developer. While I was thrilled with the camera itself, I was a bit disappointed that I had chosen to shoot color film. A quick trip to the store filled my camera bag with Ilford black and white film; and since that day my preference has been to shoot in a monochromatic context.
Having a strong background in art and design, which I believe significantly informs my work, helps me to focus on three aspects of photography to which I am drawn repeatedly - composition, light, and contrast. Any one of the three can inspire; finding all three together can be an exciting moment. Spending time relating to the subject of the photograph in order to compose the piece is the most intimate part of the process for me. Light, in particular, plays a great part in my work: often stronger from the side and back of the subject, rather than the front. And of course, light and shadow together often provide extreme contrast, which defines many of my pieces.
My curiosity about the “big questions” of life and death has manifested itself into a lifelong fascination with how we grieve those who have left us and how we honor our ancestors. This took root early in my youth, when I would spend many hours playing with my cousin Tracy in a cemetery across the street from my grandmother’s house. I realize cemeteries can be places of overwhelming sadness for some people, but that was not the case with me. My time in the cemetery led me to discover the feelings of solitude and peace. I suppose that’s why I’m still drawn to them.
Over the years, my work has expanded to include architectural and street photography as well.
I now shoot in film and digital. I have a fondness for film and the texture it provides. I scan all my negatives into hi-rez digital files. I try to do as much work as possible on site, in the camera. The result of that is that I do very little digital manipulation and cropping. 95% of the digital manipulation I do is removing dust/scratches and making minor adjustments to brightness and contrast. I try to remain true to the moment and the photograph, and not veer off into creating digital art out of a photograph.
I shoot with Canon film and digital cameras, but still prefer my all manual Fuji. It created the vast majority of the work in my online gallery.
At the beginning of 2008, I decided to put my work out into the world, and in the space of 2 months, launched a website and online store. I have been lucky enough to be part of a group show at a local gallery (Night Gallery - www.nightgalleryceramics.com) and currently have a solo show running at a wine bar/cafe in Long Beach, CA through October 2008 (www.casavinowinebar.com).
To see more work, please visit www.kcwgallery.com.
From there, you can get information about upcoming exhibits, follow a link to my blog, visit more galleries, purchase prints, or visit my online store (www.cafepress.com/kcwgallery).
