Algorithms Riven - Photography and Digital Art
Based in State College, Pennsylvania, USA
Photography is pervasive in how I see the world. The poet William Stafford described meeting one's muse as discovering "your own way of looking at things", and how "every glance at the world around you will be a sort of salvation"; I relate to this metaphor often. I've also discovered that other people appreciate seeing the pictures I take. I'm glad to share art that causes joy, wonder, introspection, and the many other emotions that enhance the human experience.
Travel is one of my primary subjects. A winter in Australia, a summer in Singapore, a year in Scotland, three extended visits to India, and trips to 30-some other countries all contributed to my development as a photographer. Travel photography allows me to share things like the uniqueness of a time and place, the emotional impact of a significant event, the mixture of familiar and unknown, and the excitement of exploration. Travel is also a privilege, and photography can share its positive influence to a wider audience.
Textures inspire me: lichen, peeling paint, a pile of leaves, stone contoured by water, flower petals, and cut stone are some examples. I often collect a texture without specific plans for it, later finding another photograph in my collection to merge it with. Textures can intensify our perception of color, drawing attention to the blueness of the sky or the redness of leaves on a tree. Sometimes I use a texture photograph to add surreal elements to a picture, such as shimmering in a sunset or turbulence in a night sky.
Although I shoot in color, I sometimes edit and produce photographs in monochrome. The removal of color changes composition and it can draw attention to the presence of the intended subject, or to a notable absence. Monochrome has cultural connotations, including intimacy, struggle, drama, historicity, and noir. It sometimes intensifies shapes and textures. I also occasionally use split toning to convey a mood or to control the composition without entirely ceding color.
Technically challenging photography also motivates me. Nighttime photography, macro photography, and unusual compositions are some examples of this. I enjoy finding ways to maximize technical quality and aesthetic value in spite of obstacles.
I use a DSLR for photography. I shoot using a collection of roughly a dozen lenses, though I generally carry just two or three for any project or expedition. I value mobility in my photographic style: I carry my equipment in a dedicated bag (generally a backpack or a sling) that lets me walk long distances and pull out my camera and lenses quickly without putting anything down. Rather than using a shoulder strap, I use a hand strap that lets me retrieve and stow the camera frequently or keep it in my hand for extended periods of time. I use a tripod only when necessary for long exposures or interval sequences. I use UV filters to protect my lenses, but I rarely use other filters, as I prefer to add effects in postprocessing.
I shoot in RAW, and my editing style is pragmatic: some photographs are ready to share with little to no editing, while some require substantial work to bring out their worth. I find value in understanding all the choices that affect the production of a photograph, including choices in camera gear, shooting parameters, and editing. Artifacts of choice are pervasive in photographs: vignetting, sharpness, contrast, saturation, grain, aspect ratio, and other properties of an image come from deliberate decisions or happenstance. Consciously making decisions increases the likelihood of success for every shot, and it gives the photographer the greatest flexibility for the images they produce.
Photography is an interest of mine, not a livelihood. My career in academia provides most of my income and travel opportunities.
© Algorithms Riven 2020