This collection of photographs is the fruit of my "Close to Home" project. Once a week for a year I photographed objects and scenes within a mile of my home. After digitally editing each photo, I shared it with a web audience. Ultimately for me, this project became a celebration of the artistry surrounding us in our every day lives, as well as the peacefulness found by experiencing this artistry.
While photographing “Close to Home,” I was drawn to forms, patterns and textures. I often used a neutral color palate with flashes of color and a subtle abstraction of subject matter. These techniques help me to convey what I find most satisfying about the art of photography: the sense of implied mystery inherent in every scene as well as the opportunity to see the commonplace and the nearby in fresh and creative ways.
The lessons I learned over the 52 weeks of this project were:
Keep your eyes open to truly see the familiar surroundings, the artistry in the everyday world.
Always have your camera with you in order to be able to capture the moment; the planned artistic photo session doesn't always produce the best images.
Trust that tingling feeling on your neck that says 'this is it'.
