Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Your Choice

When I bought this old perfume bottle on-line a few years ago, I knew that I wanted to use it for a still shot but wasn't quite sure exactly what "the message" was going to be. All of my shots have to have a message or tell some kind of story. Also, the shot has to be composed, not discovered. The name of the photograph is as important to me as the image itself. As I create and compose what will be captured on film, I am constantly thinking about the story that will be connected to the image and for a name that fits. Sometimes I will not have the total package (image-name-message) until I am finished in the darkroom. This entire process reflects who I am and how I think and it is imperative that I hold true to this method of producing my art. I have entered my work in a few photographic competitions and I have been pleased with my success given that, to date, I have just more than two dozen images in my portfolio. To serve on a judging panel and to choose what is the best and the most unique among thousands of submissions from hundreds of artists must be such an onerous and difficult job. If one of my images is chosen to be published or exhibited, I consider myself very fortunate as an artist. If my photos don't make the cut, I am not offended and I will not change my creative signature to fit a certain competition so that I may have a better chance of winning. I am proud of who I am and what I do and I find it exciting to share what I consider a positive art form with a message that will hopefully make people stop and think about what I am trying to say. We are blessed to live in a world where we do have choices and if we look at things in a "half full" light, our path will almost always be brighter and happier. If life is a competition, we should enter ourselves each day with a "half full" attitude... after all, it is "Your Choice".

Thanks for listening.

Until next time...

- Paul

3 comments:

A.J. said...

Amazing!

Dr. C said...

Probably because of what I do (psychotherapy), this is my favorite among all of your amazing posts. It highlights the power we have as individuals to control our thoughts and perspectives which, in turn, can influence how we experience the world (i.e., emotionally). Thank you for your insight! I always look forward to your blogs and the stories that accompany your work! I know these types of blogs take time, but please, please, please KEEP THEM COMING!!!

Choleena said...

Fantastic! You've managed to make the half-empty portion full as well. Full of light and beautiful shape. Kudos as always. :)