The challenge I encounter when presenting fine art photography is that viewers typically consider the work at purely face value: a tree is a tree; stone is stone; a shipwreck is nothing more than its pieces scattered along the beach. As an artist, how might I inspire my audience to look for more creative interpretations of my landscape subjects?
For me, the answer lies in harnessing the power of pictures and words by combining my landscape photography with fanciful narratives. These image/text combinations prompt us to consider layers of meaning by stimulating our most powerful sense: the imagination. When we do so, we can peer beneath the surface of our everyday world and look upon these landscapes with fresh eyes. In my art, you'll encounter a tree as a wooden monster that stalks a forest, a boulder becomes the broken heart of a mountain, a shipwreck is a symbol of failed dreams, and so on.
The pieces in my Animated Videos collection take a step further in my attempt to provide a visual experience that balances image and text. The foundation of each artwork in this collection remains a photograph, but I morph the static image into an animated video. In this format, narrative and picture are seamlessly integrated, with each stanza of the narrative embedded directly into the animation, line by line. I also apply zoom-and-pan techniques to provide a sense of movement across the static image, and finally add background music for ambiance.
By installing these videos into digital frames, they can be hung on a wall, displayed very much like my traditional photographic prints. But now, the image and text can be presented as originally intended: a single art form that is designed to not only transport you to a memorable location, but to peel back the shrouds of the mundane, and guide you into a realm filled with possibilities—a place where nature’s magic and mystery are just a thought away.
PLAYING VIDEOS
To play a video, first select the work of interest, then click or tap on an available edition in the edition list that appears. The link to play the video is located in the Documents section of the edition's detail page.
