Breaking the Silence:
Working towards a body of work, a series of images on a theme is usually how I illustrate concepts and ideas through my lens.
This series of images, called Breaking the Silence, was created during one of my first study abroad courses (or as I like to call them study abroad photographic experiences) as a photographic professor, which inspired many students to pursue further international photographic practices
With my own work, I like to explore personal human elements and emotional ideas, but I also like to test and experiment the technical side of image-making. My practice is such that I am driven to communicate not always what’s there but often what I feel could be present.
This is Saint Chinian, a small town in the South of France. I felt such a sense of timelessness there. A real vibe of generations past. The streets were mostly empty as I walked around. But along with the emptiness, I felt a strong sense of familiarity with this town, a connection between place and the human spirit. A feeling of home or connection seems to be a large and recurring theme in my work. While walking these back streets, I imagined people there, many generations past (and future), a ghost like presence round every corner. It was this feeling that inspired me to add a human element to the scene. But not a static or dominant one. So, I set up a tripod, dragged my shutter, and, with the help of my colleague and the students, I ran through the narrow streets capturing the images you see here. This became my photographic project throughout the trip. Students were watching, often suggesting locations and ideas for additional shots and angles. I soon noticed that they were going off more and more to create their own projects. They were scouting locations, taking note of when the sun was just right, and asking each other and locals to be in their shots. They were going up onto the hillsides, shooting time exposures at night by street light. Choosing a meaningful theme and illustrating it in a way that communicates something tangible is not always easy, but I think that immersing yourself in an unfamiliar place can trigger ideas. Taking the time to note how you feel, and evaluate what you are drawn to, can help get the ball rolling with creativity.
