I shoot dioramas and portraits of trees at night - mostly in New York, but also in Washington, DC. I use only available light and I like to say I look for "million dollar lighting packages" when I go out shooting. I find greater impact at night when "the veil" is thinner and you feel the essence of the tree much more. That essence is directly communicated to the viewer through these images, whether conscious or not.
These trees exude mystery and magic and power that often go unnoticed in the day. At night you're drawn into the untold stories presented in these dioramas and scenes. There is delicious irony in that these magnificent natural beings somehow seem more alive when they appear most artificial - as if they are characters in museum dioramas or theatrical events, playing important roles in our lives.
Overall, it’s a merging of man and nature in a mostly harmonious way, with a hint at man being a supporting player, in the complicated field of nature. These images express that ultimately it's nature that is most important, even if within the city and even if it goes unnoticed. Here, they will not be ignored.
