Portraits of Trees
Having spent the majority of my life exploring the outdoors, I’ve always felt a kinship with trees.
While hiking I find I’m drawn to the look of certain trees, I reach my hand out to touch them as I pass by, I feel their textures and can sense their energy. They each have their own personality, so to speak, which has inspired me to pursue this project: “Portraits of Trees”
I pack my hiking pack with studio equipment and hike into the woods.
Sometimes I already know what tree I’m going to photograph, as its beauty has been etched in my mind for some time. Other times I walk slowly through the woods and wait for one to speak to me. Once it’s found I set up a studio around it and carefully photograph it. I aim to capture the beauty of their texture and form in a black and white photograph with contrasty lighting.
PROCESS: I hike into the woods with a backpack full of studio equipment waiting for a tree to “speak” to me. When one does I set up a black background and lights, my camera and tripod, then photograph the tree to capture a portrait of it emphasizing it’s form and texture.
MATERIALS: DSLR, Subject Matter, Speedlights, LED Lights, Black Backdrop. Archivally printed on Hahnemuhle German Etching Paper.
DIMENSIONS: 24”x36”
EDITION: Each artwork is an edition of 10
CREATION DATE: 2018
EXHIBITIONS:
2021 Still Resisting [Convenience], Romano Gallery, Blairstown, NJ (Solo)
2020 50 years of Inspiration and Impact, George Segal Gallery, Montclair, NJ (Group Show)
2019 August First Fridays, Base Camp, Trenton, NJ (Duo show)
2019 December First Fridays, Base Camp, Trenton, NJ (Group Show)
2019 December First Fridays, The Mill Hill, Trenton, NJ (Group Show)
2019 Mercer County Photography, Silva Gallery of Art, Pennington, NJ (Juried)
2018 Lovely as a Tree, D&R Greenway Land Trust, Princeton, NJ (Juried)
2018 Ellarslie Open 35, Trenton City Museum, Trenton, NJ (Juried)
2018 Kind Creatives, Cathedral Hall, Jersey City, NJ (Group Show)
AWARDS:
2019 Jurors Choice Award, Mercer County Photography Juried Exhibit
2018 3rd Place Best in Show, Lovely as a Tree Juried Exhibit
2018 Runner Up Best Photography in Show, Ellarslie Open 35 Juried Exhibit
