January 2, 2021

It was a beautiful, misty New Years day in Japan one year ago, when I stopped under this tree for shelter from the rain. 

I was immediately inspired to photograph the clean lines of this fish screen that lead the eye into the soft lit day, along the lake.  

But it wasn’t until I got home and spent time looking at this image that I found a deeper narrative in the image. 

This happens a lot - meaning emerges in a photograph that wasn’t there in the moment it was taken. And that transformation from an aesthetically pleasing sight to a deeper and more personal truth is the very essence of art. 

In some ways, that’s why photography can feel like I’m fishing for dreams - I’m seeking for peace and beauty in the world and hoping to create images that evoke depth and mood and greater introspection to those who view them.

This practice has helped me develop awareness in my life.

I have learned to give equal attention to the space and the forms within a photographic composition - not just because it leads to more dynamic and compelling images, but because it reflects a personal truth. 

For me, this photo contains a narrative about the importance of space, or spaciousness. Fish are trapped in this wall-like structure because they are drawn to its form. In the same way, we can be led into a more confined experience of life by focusing solely on the forms of a problem, desire or emotion.

When we focus on the space within our lives - the ever-stretching lake in which we swim - we find room for what exists outside the form of a problem. Serenity is found in the spaciousness.

Of course, the way you connect with this image could invoke an entirely different narrative and theme. In fact, I hope it does. It is my goal to present enough space in my photographs that viewers have room for their own meanings to emerge.