Antes de la Fiesta (Before the Fiesta) - Mexico Photograph - Limited Edition of 1

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, but moved to Mexico in 2003. I had been vactioning in Mexico for some time and although I love Chicago, there was so much more interesting to me to photograph in Mexico than in the flat lands and skyscrapers of Chicago. **************************************** Although my father started to teach me how to draw when I was 5, it was not until I got my first real camera that I knew I had found my art. I shot millions of photos. I was learning what makes a good photo and what doesn’t. I studied photo books, magazines and exhibits and critiqued what I saw, because studying other people’s work helps you decide what kind of photographer you want to be. I spent endless hours in my home darkroom and then 5 years at the Evanston Art Center near Chicago, studying advanced darkroom techniques, some of which I still use in digital photography. ************************************** Using a film camera I learned to SEE in black and white, but when I moved to the Ajijic/Lake Chapala area in 2003 it was easy to be dazzled by color in Mexico. In 2007, as darkroom supplies became difficult to get, I started using a digital camera. I began to explore the use of color using Photoshop to create all sorts of myriad enhancements not possible in a dark room. However, I believe the knowledge gained in making black & white images (form & structure & intensity of tones) can also produce better color photos. I have returned to my black & white “roots”, but let the photo itself determine if it should be a color or black & white print. **************************************** I spend an immense amount of time in adjusting and enhancing my photos with Photoshop and other software. The world of photography is changing. It is not enough anymore just to take a nicely composed photo. We photo artists can do so much more with our work than a simple “snap” with an iphone. Although having a “good eye” is necessary, it is only the start of the photographic process. You must have an artistic vision for this photo and know how you want to achieve this using the endless assortment of Photoshop tools, brushes and filters as well as paper selection. *************************************** I have been featured in many galleries and museums in the U.S. and Mexico and have been included in 4 different Special Issues of Black and White magazine (the premier photo magazine in the northern hemisphere).