I’m an avid photographer, as my father was before me. An awareness of plants, animals, seasons, sky, wind, mountains, and stars has been with me since childhood and remains with me today no matter where I am. Often my photographs reflect my awareness of natural surroundings.
I carry a camera everywhere I go. I find I take the best photos from images that present themselves in my daily life. My approach to photography is best summed in a photo book I created a few years ago called “Pathways in Time: Photo Journeys.” In it I wrote:
“My camera came with me on walks, shopping for groceries, driving around town, taking the dog for a stroll, waiting in the car, running errands, and venturing out to restaurants, events, museums, or historical sites. I photographed things I thought were beautiful, funny, ironic, spectacular, sad, interesting… I suppose you could say these images present a glimpse of the world around me during the last 5 years as well as moments in time for the creatures and nature sharing the same space as me. So I invite you in the following pages to journey into my recent world and along my pathways.”
I compiled another group of my photos into a book called “Windows into the Beauty of Flowers & Nature.”
“What you will see are things that caught my eye and made me stop in my tracks to take a closer look. Sometimes, I was struck by the vivid colors of a flower blossom on a breezy summer’s day. Or, I noticed a tiny insect trying to cross the road at the same time as me, but facing enormous challenges to get from one place to another without being stepped on or run over by a car or bicycle. I’ve often thought about how all these different life forms occupy the same space as me during a given moment and how easy it can be to get so wrapped up in your own world you forget you’re part of something larger and marvelous. You, too, can observe the beauty of flowers and nature through the windows of your life if you are willing to open them.”
Other favorite photo subjects are abstract images. I like capturing patterns and shapes formed by light and objects.
I also take photographs to illustrate objects to accompany my nonfiction writing. I believe readers can have a greater depth of understanding through key visuals accompanying the written words. A good example of this is my book, “River of My Ancestors: The Rio Grande in Pictures.”
A more personal photo collection appears in my book “Proverbs on Animals, Plants and Nature.” Because I’ve always had such a deep love of animals and had many pets (mostly found) while growing up in the scenic greenbelt next to the Rio Grande, I selected photos of myself and my pets to accompany others I’ve taken. In a way, it was nice to see some of my dearest animal friends live on in the pages of my work (while they live on in my heart). I also enjoyed learning about wisdom from the ages on topics like trees, the wind, grass and sky to share with others.
