As I took these photos on my early morning walk with Muddy, as we walked down to the ocean, I realized photos for me are my way of understanding where I am, and who I am in this place. It is also an acknowledgment to the subject, a way for me to quietly express gratitude for it being there, be it a field or animal. That moment I thought,
I need to photograph this
Begins the relationship with me and the subject.
Once I share that photo, it is the viewer who has their own experience with the subject at hand. It is not about how I felt when I took it, it is about the subject in the viewer's lens. And the viewer will have their own relationship with that subject. I obviously am the one who art directs the shot, and has my own intuitive way, as any artist does, of seeing that moment that is the right moment to take a picture [and one takes hundreds of photos that don't capture that instant].
I feel the same way about painting, or writing. I have the initial spark, then a relationship with the subject matter, but once in the world, it is not my place to suggest, interfere or even try to understand another person's relationship with my work. They get to do that on their own. I think this is why I never like talking about a specific piece with someone–for starters, I'm not really interested in what they think about that specific piece. I suppose of Chagall or Joseph Campbell came to me and wanted to discuss based on their experiences, I would find that interesting. It's nice to be acknowledged with "I love your art" or 'That piece just speaks to me, I don't know why," but more than that is not necessary. I find gallery openings uninspiring for this reason-I've done the work, I had my relationship with the process and subject, I'm ready to move on.
