27-JUL-2011
Diners, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Becket, Massachusetts, 2011
The evening light isolates a pair of diners seated at the edge of the festival’s huge tent just prior to a dance performance. They seem to be alone, although hundreds of others dine in the shadows just beyond them. The play of light and shadow here creates a mood of relaxation and utter privacy.
01-JAN-2011
Volcano, French West Indies, 2011
Dark, moisture-laden clouds contrast with the orange fire of a reflected Caribbean sunset here, expressing a eruptive mood. The volcanic island seems to be belching fire, even though all was actually quite calm as our cruise ship sailed by.
07-SEP-2010
Awestruck, Mission Beach, San Diego, California, 2010
The setting sun has turned the incoming tide to gold, an atmospheric liquid carpet that obviously engages the imagination of this child who gingerly tests the water with her toes. I abstract as a silhouette to engage the imagination of the viewer as well. The mood is all about wonder and awe.
01-SEP-2010
Pacific evening, off Mission Beach, San Diego, California, 2010
The setting sun is often expressive when screened with a layer of heavy clouds. In this case, the mood is magical as its rays begin to filter through the clouds, illuminating the sea at the horizon. A single gull moves through the scene at right, lending a touch of scale to this image.
08-SEP-2010
Walking the tide, Mission Beach, San Diego, California, 2010
The tide flows out at sunset, offering this barefoot couple an atmospheric stroll on a wet sandy path strewn with seaweed and feeding waterfowl. My long 415mm telephoto lens compresses the gradual curve of the beach, making it seem as if the distant hills overlooking the sea are nearby. Actually they are miles away.
31-AUG-2010
Sunset watch, Mission Beach, San Diego, CA 2010
Every sunset expresses its own special character. This one is laced and crowned with layers of clouds, spaced enough to reveal the full disc of the sun as it hangs over the Pacific Ocean. A string of spectators watch from the edge of the water, spaced far enough from each other along the beach to allow silence and contemplation. The moment is rich in atmosphere and mood – nature even brings a golden reflection to the edge of the beach itself, linking it to the setting sun.
20-AUG-2010
Within the shadows, Phoenix, Arizona, 2010
As the morning sun painted this glass brick wall with light, I noticed how it falls short of illuminating a primitive doll seated in the corner.The doll, a figure holding small children, comes to us within the shadow as an atmospheric surprise, a metaphor for a spirit that seeks the light but yet cannot reach it. Using the spot metering mode, I exposed for the light, letting the rest of the image fall into shadow.
01-JUN-2010
Fireplace screen, El Rancho, Gallup, New Mexico, 2010
Gallup is cowboy country. In the early and mid 20th century, many western films were made here. The El Rancho hotel is a relic of that era. All the visiting movie stars stayed here in the 30s. The old fireplace screen remains, a reminder of a nostalgic time. I force its wrought iron cowboy to fade into the golden glow of the brickwork behind it, an atmospheric tribute to the mythic films of the Old West.
13-MAY-2010
Ghosts, The Westward Ho, Phoenix, Arizona, 2010
A year earlier, while shooting along with one of my tutorial students in the Westward Ho, built in 1929 as a luxury hotel, and now converted to senior housing, I had photographed some of these same plants outside the building. (See
http://www.pbase.com/pnd1/image/119884048) I returned again one year later with another tutorial student, and decided to shoot these cacti as seen through the windows of a seldom used space that once served as old hotel’s nightclub. The dark interior of the erstwhile Concho Room implies abandonment, while the blinds on its windows add a haunted texture to the scene. Two different worlds are expressed here -- the mysterious past, as well as the ghostly cacti that appear to be crawling towards the windows, hoping to gain admittance.
14-OCT-2009
The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, 2009
This mosque, one of the most famous religious buildings in the world, can be photographed expressively in many ways. I choose to abstract it here, showing only two of its minarets juxtaposed against strands of coppery clouds at sunset. My purpose was not to describe the appearance of the mosque itself, but rather express the exotic nature of the atmosphere surrounding this 400 year-old structure.
17-OCT-2009
St. Michael’s Monastery, Kiev, Ukraine, 2009
This monastery is a striking complex of massive churches with golden domes, which would be very atmospheric in the right light. But our visit came late in the morning, with the sun high in the sky, rendering the scene harshly. I limit the scope of my image, including only two ornate columns surrounding an entrance, a silhouetted visitor, and some of the blue painted wall. The atmosphere itself is created by the interplay of the harsh light and deep shadow on these subjects. Although greatly abstracted, the monastery expresses a mood here of both awe and power.
24-OCT-2009
Street scene, Istanbul, Turkey, 2009
The ancient side streets of Istanbul often lack sidewalk space. It never existed. Pedestrians must share narrow side streets with vehicles. I use this simple fact to create an atmospheric image that conveys a sense of place. I used a very long focal length – 400mm – to compress space. The 15 or so people in this photograph, while widely spaced, seem here to be walking close behind each other, adding a sense of crowding that is appropriate to Istanbul. I shot back down the street from the top of a hill, which arranges the people in clumps stacked from the bottom up into the middle of the frame. They seem oblivious to the sole car that rumbles past them. The scene is abstracted by a flow of shadows, creating silhouettes and obscure figures full of mystery, and providing an atmosphere that offers a taste of a very old and exotic city.