21-DEC-2003
A Tuna’s Eye, Manta, Ecuador, 2003
Just as this net full of dead Tuna was about to be transferred from a fishing boat to a truck in Manta’s harbor, I gestured to a fisherman to stop the transfer for a moment and allow a moment for me to make a picture. I saw a detail in the net that summed up the purpose and process of this business – to find, catch, kill and sell fish. I brought my camera to within inches of the wet net, and made this picture. It is built around a single eye, glazed over in death, staring back through the net at us.
07-AUG-2002
Caviar, Siberia, Russia, 2002
The residents of a small Siberian fishing village welcomed us with tables laden with caviar, served on slices of white bread. Caviar is very small, and when photographed from any distance, it appears very much like jam. Only by moving in as close as my lens allowed could I capture details such as the coloration, texture, and shape of the tiny fish eggs known as caviar. I made these eggs as large as possible, however I also made sure to retain some context for scale. The slices of bread tell us how small caviar really is.
21-APR-2003
Lace, Budapest, Hungary, 2003
The beauty of lace rests in its complexity. To best define the nature of such complexity, I moved to within a few inches of the subect and photographed its intricate detail. To me, this detail speaks of the skill and ingenuity that Hungarian artisans bring to their work. If had photographed this lace from farther back, it is only lace. By stressing its detail, it becomes a work of art.
25-APR-2003
Vestment, Abbey of Melk, Austria, 2003
The wealth and power of the medieval church is symbolized by this ancient vestment woven from golden threads. Instead of showing the entire vestment, I moved in to stress its elegant design and construction, revealing detail that makes it become a more universal symbol of authority. If I had chosen instead to photograph the entire vestment, I would have just produced a literal, descriptive picture of a museum exhibit.
19-APR-2003
Royal Standard, Artstetten, Austria, 2003
On June 28, 1914, a royal standard such as this one flew from a car carrying Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir-apparent to the Hapsburg throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on a visit to Sarajevo. He and his wife were gunned down by a Serbian nationalist, provoking an international crisis which launched World War I. This flag, with its screaming eagle and vivid colors, was a symbol of royal authority. I moved to within a few inches of it to isolate beak, tongue, feathers, and crown, changing a royal banner into a clash of detail representing the chaos and horror of the assassination.
24-APR-2003
Assassins pistol, Vienna, Austria, 2003
When Gavrilo Princip pulled this trigger in Sarajevo in 1914, he fired what would become the first shot of World War 1 and changed the course of world history. Today this pistol is displayed in Vienna's military museum. I chose not to photograph the entire weapon. Rather, I moved in as close as the glass showcase would allow, and emphasized the details on the silver barrel, trigger, and handle. The name of the pistol's manufacturer, its trademark and patent information, are displayed on the silver steel of this cold, hard, uncomprimising killing machine. Details ignored by history but now revealed and emphasized as accessories to the crime.
24-APR-2003
Death of an empire, Vienna, Austria, 2003
Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand, died wearing this uniform in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, at the hands of an assassin. His assassination triggered World War I, and the 400 year old Habsburg dynasty, along with its empire, perished four years later, changing the map of Europe forever. As the third photo in my sequence of detailed symbols of this event, I concentrate primarily on the damage to the uniform. I emphasized the large gash in the fabric and the faded blood stains still visible after nearly 90 years. The political effects of this assassination are still being felt in the Balkans a century after his murder.
26-JUL-2002
Washed ashore, St. Matthews Island, Alaska, 2002
On deserted St. Matthew Island in the middle of the remote Bering Sea, I found this shredded plastic rope given up by the sea. I saw it as a symbol of the Bering Sea itself -- an ocean known as the "Cradle of Storms." I moved very close to it to detail the richness of its colors and vulnerability. Thankfully, I never experienced the fury of those storms, but by stressing these details, I could at least symbolize their legacy.
21-MAR-2003
Chained monument, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2003
In the center of Santa Fe's historic Plaza, the monument to those who fought in the New Mexico's Indian Wars now must be padlocked to protect it from vandalism. Instead of photographing the entire monument, I chose to picture only the parts that carried the most meaning. I moved close enough to stress the contrast between the silver chain and the green fence, making sure to capture individual drops of water -- residue of a recent rain. I am also close enough to depict engraving on the monument which adds context -- it talks of heros who have died fighting Indians. My search for detail also reveals that the original wording has been edited with a chisel. A derogatory reference to those Indians is now gone, but its scar remains. The watery surface of the fence seems to weep -- a sad commentary on a tragic era.
29-DEC-2002
La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2002
I made this close-up of a memorial plaque on the tomb of Eva Peron in Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetary because of the juxtaposition of floral tributes -- one is real, the other is bronze. To create this contrast, I had remove more details than I included. I only show the edge of the bronze tribute, with its wreath and flame. And I limit the flowers to a simple curve of blossoms, the newest flourishing, the others withering. With this detail, I symbolize the cycle of life itself. When I returned to La Recoleta four days later, the flowers were gone.
17-APR-2003
Bishop, Central Cemetery, Vienna, Austria, 2003
A Bishop strides down the cemetery's main avenue. He has just left a funeral. His purple cape gradually recedes into the distance. For once I did not move in on my subject to capture key detail. This time I allowed the most important detail to diminish in size. In spite of his scale, the Bishop still dominates the picture because his cape contrasts to the green surroundings. Yet I also want him to be dwarfed by this vast burial ground. He seems to be in a hurry to move on with his life, while those he leaves in his wake are not going anywhere.