Beyond The Mind's Eye
Originally uploaded by Gray Flannel Images (Sailing)
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Ian's Profile
"My career as a professional photographer began in 1970 when I worked for the Associated Press in Vietnam as a photojournalist. My first camera I bought was a second hand Leica M3 and would later buy my first new camera in 1972, a true state-or-the-art SLR "Nikon F2". My career as a photojournalist and freelance photographer would span 30 some odd years, photographing everything from nature and wildlife, to the senseless and horrific ravages, of 13 wars around the world; my last assignment as a freelance photographer was in Iraq.
The majority of my black and white photography is done in low light situations where there is an interaction between light and darkness, such as at dusk and dawn. I often work with long exposures in order to reduce the landscapes into elemental, graphic shapes. I like to simplify, to extract unnecessary elements, in order to emphasize the subject I'm working with. I also enjoy working in bad weather; snowstorms, mist, fog, or just under an endless dull and grayish sky. I think these conditions often add an appealing element to a black and white photograph.
The reason I photograph is to experience the beauty of Nature and of wild places. I explore the essential elements of rock and tree, of cloud and rushing water to discover the magic and mystery of the landscape. My search for beauty is romantic and idealistic. It is the spirit of the land I seek-be it in a small piece of urban wildness or in vast wilderness. Rachel Carson, in her book The Sense of Wonder, writes, "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."
Photography is a quiet, intensely meditative activity for me. Minor White, the Zen-influenced photographer, stated, "Be still with yourself, until the object of your attention affirms your presence." When the light and the subject inspire me, I am compelled to compose an image. The images that I enjoy making the most are those that rely on emotional response and perception rather than the spectacle of the scene. I enjoy isolating the details of a scene, often to the point of abstraction. By creating photographs where the content or orientation is not obvious, an intimate and enigmatic feeling can come through. I would rather make an image that asks a question, than answers one, one that intrigues and arouses curiosity in the viewer.
For over twenty years, that has meant creating traditional black and white landscape photographs, though more recently I've enjoyed exploring a wider range of techniques and approaches to my subjects. The resulting journalistic and painterly imagery represents a diverse selection of emotionally rich moments
I have been fortunate throughout most of my life to be surrounded by the beauty of the natural world. My appreciation for its wonders has been nurtured by my travels and framed through the visions of traditional artists, such as Ansel Adams, Ernst Haas, Edward Weston and O. Winston Links. I’m particularly inspired by the works of such brilliant photographers as Michael Kenna, Charlie Waite, Art Wolfe and above all, the genius of Joe Cornish and Galen Rowell.
Joe Cornish – “First Light”
“First, light. Everything else follows, for light is the language of photography as well as it’s raw material. As a poet uses words, so a photographer uses light.”
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