Abstract nominee

Appealing to the fun-loving child in all of us, many exotic cars are dipped into saturated, look-at-me colors. On cars designed to scorch the road, stylish sweeping curves and sculpted panels delight the eye. Having feasted on the excitement, shine, shapes, and shades of these speed demons, I offer you a small taste of graphic eye candy to savor. "Ripped Red" looks like an artful gash in glossy, candy-apple red perfection. "Orange Spoiler" sizzles like hot dogs on a grill. "Banana Mobile" makes the world a sunny place with cheery yellow and shadow-produced touches of orange and red. "Green Curve" gives the feeling of being suspended upside-down in a zippy roller coaster. "Heavenly Metal" is subtle but seductive with its smooth gradients that beg the viewer to stroke it. These images of automotive aspects were taken at the "Exotics on Las Olas" car show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Photographs expose the photographer. How and what I shoot tell you what interests me and catches my eye. The joy I feel in photographing something odd or making an unconventional cropping decision should tell you that novelty excites me and I have a rebellious streak. You'll see many genres in my work because variety is fun! Some of my artistic goals are to create work that is unique, creative, fairly attractive, well-composed, personally challenging, and demanding that you, the active viewer, make an effort.

I like to make the familiar a bit unfamiliar, the overlooked interesting, and you aware of far more than Seven Wonders of the World. Although I can capture the pretty, I'd much rather show you the slightly disturbing and off-kilter. Why is that? Because we both could use some mental exercise and glimpses of the seldom seen.

For me, black-and-white is generally somber and takes itself too seriously; however, vivid color has the potential to convey happiness. You might think that the saturated colors in many of my photos indicate childish exuberance; actually, it is one way I attempt to combat low-level depression.