I seek to communicate the essence of Place in my work; and to give viewers their own "decisive moment"—for as many negative things that can and do happen in this world, I have faith there is a far greater number of moments of beauty and quiet strength that I can photograph to share with people . I began photographing at the age of 16, and after pouring over a Christmas gift, Ken Heyman's "All the World's Family," in 1983, I knew my camera would never be far from me! I work primarily in 35mm format using silver-based film, making my prints in a wet darkroom. Since 2011 I've included my cell phone—currently a Galaxy S4—as part of my tools. Beginning with the writing and photography programs at Wesleyan University's Center for Creative Youth in high school, I continued to take formal classes in photography and darkroom technique throughout college. Upon graduating from New England College (NH) I moved to Washington, DC where I assisted a studio photographer for three years, gaining experience in studio and darkroom management, and lighting technique. I have been an active and exhibiting photographer-member of Washington Street studios/art collaborative since 2008, making my art almost exclusively in the darkroom. As a member of The Art Connection Boston, I currently have photographs placed at
TILL (Toward Independent Living & Learning) in Watertown, MA, Roxbury Community College, Bridgewater State University, and the Eliot Community Human Services in Malden. I exhibited in TEDxSomerville 2012, am currently Coordinator of the Somerville Open Studios (
SOS) Volunteer Exhibit, as well as the 2017
SOS Assistant Coordinator.
I work mainly in series form, and you review them at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ananda/albums.
Ken Heyman, Eugene Atget, James Nachtwey, and Mary Ellen Mark are my photographic mentors; and I seek to photograph as beautifully as Lord Dunsany wrote