Biography and Artist Statement

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, they find it attached to the rest of the world,” John Muir said.

At age 12, a camera was thrust into my hand before heading out on an overseas vacation. It was to be used for documentary purposes and it soon became a pain to lug around. The film wasn’t processed until we got back. A lot like shooting in the dark. You don’t know if you’re hitting anything or not.

Two years later, in a Taos gallery, I saw Ansel Adams’ photograph Moonrise over Hernandez. It was a spiritual experience; birth, life, death, universe and Spirit, in a single image.

Majoring in journalism, I worked on the university newspaper, photographing as well as writing. They gave me a twin lens Yashica and the use of a darkroom, still documentary but I enjoyed the film processing and printing. I even did a little “fine art” work at the time.

Thirty years later, after hand building a timber frame home on the Cimarron River and raising a family, the desire to create images returned. Then a conversation and a chance encounter led me into large format photography and platinum printing. The negative is about the size of a piece of typing paper. Printing is done using fine cotton paper, hand coated with platinum and palladium solutions and exposure with sunlight. The process is truly classic and enduring. I work in a medium of water, light and earth. What a gift.

I’ve been doing large format photography for the last nine years. I have no formal training in photography and I used to be inclined to say I’m self-taught but I’ve decided that’s a lie.

Several kind photographers have shared their experience with me on platinum/palladium printing including Tom Millea when I was first getting started. Patrick Alt, a mentor, has provided invaluable printing technique information and support. Ryuijie also provides input on platinum/palladium printing. He describes it as a mystical process.

I agree it is work of the spirit. Sometimes in the soft light of the darkroom a print feels and looks like living tissue as it is pulled out of the developer. I find great joy in this process and hopefully I will be able to continue to make images for several more years.

To see Robert's images in our online gallery, click here.

To contact Robert via e-mail, click here.