What you see here is the result of a decade of contemplating how to frame the collection of my life’s work in some meaningful way. The original title of this effort was “Awakening to the Light” which seemed to capture my two great loves- my passion with imagery as a photographer, and my dedicated practice of Buddhist meditation and philosophy (dharma). What this has resulted in is what you see here - a blending of my creative life expressed in imagery, with insights about my own creative process expressed in words. They’re both about waking up, which applies as much to me, as to anyone responding to this imagery.
Photography image books are generally conceived with a concrete theme- often a place or subject category. I realized, though, this approach wouldn’t work for me. I don’t do my work in terms of subject matter, place, or any other category in material terms. In fact, I intuitively avoid this.
As an artist my subject is ultimately my own feeling life elicited in emotions inspired by my environment, and its mood. So, while I train my camera outside, I’m more keenly attuned to my own inner world. This is not a subject oriented approach, but an intuitive one. So, the theme of the book concerns this process of seeing, with many examples and commentary, and insights relating it as spiritual practice. But, Stillness is the field holding it all – the ground of infinite potential the Buddhists identify as “Emptiness”.
When one conditions oneself to awareness of this field, perception naturally becomes pristine.
And, the eyes, at last, can “SEE” in the truest sense. What normally passes as seeing is really a filtering act of conditionally recognizing only what is already known, expected, or familiar. To truly see in the way I suggest is a revolutionary thing, and novel in this sense. That is why images arising from this place are experienced as ‘fresh’, or alive in some enchanting way- and tend to have a lasting power to fascinate, or intrigue. They are reflections from an unseen world, one in which we do live, but regrettably are not conditioned to see.
I present this book as an invitation to you so you may travel with me to “Nowhere in particular”, and find the magic of that place, which of course, is located within all of our awakened hearts.
As an artist and photographer
my passion’s become clear.
Images are less matter than mirror.
I’m not here to capture our world everyone can see,
but here to do my alchemy,
mixing matter with metaphor,
substance with spirit,
until my heart soul sings,
and with grace you may hear it.
EACH PAGE SPREAD IN THIS SLIDE PROGRESSION IS FOLLOWED WITH A PAGE OF ENLARGED TEXT FOR GREATER LEGIBILITY: