Nudes 2nd place winner

Sometimes the best art is born of serendipity. Luna and I had planned a traditional figure shoot in the Tatoosh Range of Mount Rainier National Park in July 2019, dodging hikers among panoramic, sun-drenched vistas. But the day arrived cool and gray, our intended 14,411-foot volcanic backdrop invisible in the clouds. We had the trail completely to ourselves, and the fog moving in and out among the lower peaks made amazing and moody vistas. As we set up a shot among a craggy jumble of granodiorite, a marmot poked its head over the top of the rocks. We expected it to take a quick glance and scurry away, but instead, it stayed and watched, following along as we set up shot after shot, even seeming to pose with us at times. In the quiet mist of the mountains, perhaps it saw in naked Luna a lack of threat, and a kindred spirit, at one with the world among the rocks and snow. After that, the spell was cast, and every pose felt like Luna was part of nature, and me a wildlife photographer, capturing her in her natural element as she moved through the wilderness.

There's a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that describes my artistic vision well: "The soul in man is not an organ but a light... From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all." My task as a photographer is to capture light as digital pixels; my task as an artist is to capture a glimpse of the soul shining through. I shoot figure photography, mostly in nature, with themes of reconnecting with that part of us that is natural and wild, and expressing the diversity of human sensual experience. My photos have been exhibited in galleries and festivals throughout the United States and Europe.

Awards:
- Marin Society of Artists, Honorable Mention, 2018
- Photoshoot Awards, Finalist, 2021
- Moscow International Foto Awards, Honorable Mention, 2021
- Monovisions Photography Awards, Honorable Mention, 2021
- Pirin Salon, Honorable Mention, 2021
- MTN Photo Salon, Judge's Choice, 2021
- Vidin Spring Circuit, Masters of Light Gold Medal, Masters of Light Honorable Mention, Salon Bronze Medal, Salon Honorable Mention, Danube International Photo Association Honorable Mention, 2021
- Kladovo Spring Circuit, Salon Gold Medal, Salon Honorable Mention, 2021