"Why did you take that? What does it mean? These were the questions asked of me, to the point I thought, "maybe I should write this down".
So, I did. I wrote down whatever I said in conversation about a particular photograph. This went on for awhile until one day, I knew what I needed to do. I announced my interest in writing a book. The book would feature the photographs I was asked about and the meaning of each one.
As the stories developed, they were refined into short stories later described as "insightful, calming, and thought-provoking." Some of the stories included brief historical facts while in others, I described the subject's meaning and laced it with stories I created from my journey of discovery. Finally, I included stories of interesting locations that might be fun for your family to visit.
The title, "Changed Within," refers to a change that occurred in me. The more I was asked about the meaning of my photographs, the more I began to think about the question. I discovered the story within each subject. Viewers of my photographs were being touched on a emotional level so, I began using emotions to determine if the subject was worth photographing and why? In addition to questioning the technical aspects of creating the photograph, I also questioned the emotional element and used it to hone in on the final shot.
The second half of the title, "Reflections of a Journey," refers to the knowledge and experience I gained while working in the field, much of which was gathered while wandering all over various mountains looking for remote and meaningful areas to photograph. The stories in the book are a culmination of everything that occurred to make me the photographer I am today.
Many people have enjoyed closing out their day while reading my book. It is my hope that you enjoy the photographs and the journey that awaits you, as you relax with my book, "Changed Within, Reflections of a Journey."
