SIGNALS

Just about 50 years ago I began to take photographs with more purpose than simply to record what was in front of me. I was inspired and influenced by images from a wide range of other photographers, both historical and contemporary, and from a wide range of photographic genres. What was it about the composition of a particular image, or its perspective, or its use of juxtaposition that made it special? What images made me think about them, told me a story, or invited me to make up my own story? How important was an image title?

As happens to many young amateur photographers (I was in my late teens at the time), career and family soon took priority over my hobby, and there followed a long hiatus during which any ‘creative’ photography fell to the wayside. It wasn’t until the late fall of 2003, after purchasing my first DSLR, that I renewed my interest in producing images that were not simple records of places or events.

The first few months with my new camera were a challenge. I had to reacquaint myself with photographic technology that had remained the same (aperture, shutter speeds, exposure, etc.) and learn what had changed in the new digital medium. More importantly, I needed to get back into the zone of ‘seeing’ and ‘creating’ images. Well, that’s a constant pursuit, actually, and one that comes with both practice and experimentation. The above image was taken on one of my many long walks with my camera in those very early days of digital.