Having graduated high school in 1978, I had initially decided against college and spent a “gap year” working as a plumber. Good job skill and pay, but I was feeling left behind with all of my friends off at school. Having now realized that college was the way I wanted to go, I had decided to follow my passion of photography and go for a fine arts degree. I had recently purchased my first new camera, an Olympus OM-1 and was getting serious with it in my explorations around the city. I was already enrolled in school and waiting on summer session to begin. It was during that time that I made this image in Detroit’s Shelby Square. At the time, all I was seeing was the graphic quality and I thought it was probably the best photograph I had ever made. It continued its place as a prized image in my portfolio for several years until I lost track of it in the volume of imagery I was now creating. What I find wonderful in my rediscovery of this photograph is that it contained so very much more than that graphic quality that caught my young eye. The things […]
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Ok, so I’ve been around in this business for awhile and am a bit jaded. Work is exciting, but the whole scene is a bit over the top with blasts of excitement followed by the usual work that fills the in-between. My excitement comes from sharing times with others, including some of my best friends in the business. After all, we’re all in this because of the sheer wonder and love of what we do. Alone, it can become mundane like anything, but when we get together… it can be dangerous. When you’re in the company of people who have your same interests and passions, those times can explode into life experience that will never be forgotten. One such occurrence recently happened on the Iceland: Summit 2017 workshop and excursion I led along with my good friend and photographer extraordinaire, Kerik Kouklis. Top it off with another good friend, Canadian artist, Jennifer Crane from Halifax via University of Saskatoon. Then toss in Kerik Kouklis’ daughter, Sarah Kouklis a fine artist in her own right and knower of all things Lightroom and it was a team that simply has to get back together to do it all again in 2018.
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I’m very proud to announce the debut exhibition of my recent Detroit work that will take place in Toronto this September/October! Opening September 21 and running through the 8th of October with an opening reception which I will be attending happening on Saturday, September 24th from 7:00 – 9:00PM, the show will feature 20 photographs from “Detroit: Where We Used to Live”. The Charlotte Hale Gallery at 588 Markham Street is the place to be and I hope you’ll be able to join me there!
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It’s hard to believe that it has now been ten years since the release of my book, Gathering Calm: Photographs 1994-2004! It was an amazing experience putting together my first hardcover monograph and it’s hard to believe how much has changed since then. Both in my own career as well as photography in general. The book, originally printed in a first edition of 1000, was received extremely well, better than I could have imagined. Little did I know back then what a difficult time it can be moving a book and I was lucky enough to sell out the complete first printing in less than a year. Five years later, there was a second edition made in a smaller run and those too will be gone before too long. It is definitely the last printing as to be honest, I never thought I’d sell out the first. What I’ve decided to do is to offer one of the remaining copies along with a choice of four, palladium prints for a very special price that will be announced soon. These four prints were included in the book and are among favorite of mine to print. I’m extremely proud of these recent […]
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In the Workshop ———- It’s said that the beginning is the most important part of the work and I’ve been working the better part of two years now to get this studio in the north of Michigan ready. I’ve been wondering if I’d ever get beyond all it takes to construct the space and get on to the work for which it was intended. Finally, I’ve gotten there and with the three workshops scheduled during Photostock2015, the place was nearly at full potential. There were the usual, organizational issues faced when moving into a new space, but those I’ve found fun. With each class, we were able to work out the kinks and things ran more smoothly by the day. Every instructor had very helpful suggestions and I was fortunate to have them here to help out. Even with all the advanced planning, It isn’t until you actually start working in a space that you realize what’s needed to get a comfortable and productive workflow going. Upon completion of the festival and courses, I was soon to find the joys of having such a space in which to work. The place was ready to go and I was able to […]
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