Groundwork (Sifnos, Greece)
Rocks! Everywhere! I guess that’s to be expected when hiking and wandering on an island that is actually the top of a mountain poking up through the Aegean Sea. An island of amazing beauty and incredible diversity in its geological makeup, formed by a complicated process of volcanic activity millions of years ago. … How to capture this photographically?
I often find myself photographing small sections of larger objects. Iconic photographer Ansel Adams used the term "extractions" to describe these types of images. Generally speaking, as smaller and smaller portions of the whole are photographed, the images become less and less recognizable or understood, and less relatable to the whole. At some point they become “abstractions”, more defined by their own inherent qualities or characteristics than the reality of the entire, specific object.
As extractions move further into the realm of abstraction, viewers are transported away from the reality of the object to the world of their imaginations. Here they have the opportunity to "see" something else and create their own meanings, interpretations and responses.
This collection of photographic extractions, titled Groundwork, is a series of macro images of various rocks that make up the Greek island of Sifnos, … but what else could they be?
To view image gallery: Click here.
Rocks! Everywhere! I guess that’s to be expected when hiking and wandering on an island that is actually the top of a mountain poking up through the Aegean Sea. An island of amazing beauty and incredible diversity in its geological makeup, formed by a complicated process of volcanic activity millions of years ago. … How to capture this photographically?
I often find myself photographing small sections of larger objects. Iconic photographer Ansel Adams used the term "extractions" to describe these types of images. Generally speaking, as smaller and smaller portions of the whole are photographed, the images become less and less recognizable or understood, and less relatable to the whole. At some point they become “abstractions”, more defined by their own inherent qualities or characteristics than the reality of the entire, specific object.
As extractions move further into the realm of abstraction, viewers are transported away from the reality of the object to the world of their imaginations. Here they have the opportunity to "see" something else and create their own meanings, interpretations and responses.
This collection of photographic extractions, titled Groundwork, is a series of macro images of various rocks that make up the Greek island of Sifnos, … but what else could they be?
To view image gallery: Click here.