Added Mar 2, 2005
I have been working with digital image montage and renderings for almost a decade now. Initially I was intrigued by the ability of the computer to assist in forming composite images which could “defy” the norms of conventional photography – in setting aside the normal depth-of-focus and rectangular frame limitations of film-based images for example. More recently I have concentrated on re-capturing my “minds-eye” recollection of single subjects, through the use of a highly selective re-rendering of the digital image files to emphasize its geometry or structure, its lighting and/or colour, its poise within the surroundings, the time-of-day, the changes in environment, etc. Close-up/macro shots plus conventional landscape photographs are used most often as the original subjects. Some scenes are re-photographed and built-up as composites in sets, so as to provide an impressionistic collection of images originating from the same location at different times of the day or in different seasons of the year. As an overall result, my macro and landscape prints are never fully documentary. However, I usually leave at least one portion of every image untouched (other than for exposure, color and sharpening corrections suitable for the print medium chosen for the output). I have found that his allows the viewer to find a visual grounding within the image, but also to sense my own initial reason for lifting the camera up to my eye at the outset.