I did not choose the family I was born into nor the culture I grew up in – influences of the United States, the State of Minnesota, my ethnicity and the Norwegian and Swedish heritage that was always in the background. Becoming knowledgeable in cultures in addition to those one grows up with requires interest and effort. Becoming intercultural is a lifelong and rewarding journey.
The crucial differences which distinguish human societies and human beings are not biological. They are cultural.
My father was an avid photographer. From my earliest memories I do not remember being without a camera. In 1962 my father purchased a Contaflex 35mm single reflex film camera, produced by Zeiss Ikon company with a Zeiss lens. As I recall, he paid $500 for it, which would have been a small fortune back then. Even though I was a very responsible child it amazes me to this day that he would trust me with the unsupervised use of his camera, whenever I wanted. I was probably eleven years of age. He taught me how to use a camera as a way to satisfy my desire for creative expression.
A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.
A photograph may become a fuller expression if it is enhanced by words. The written word can inspire understanding or launch imagination. The writing on my website intends to fill in where a photograph or a video alone isn’t enough to communicate what I think is important.
One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.
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If you want to share your own world reflections or if you have questions you can communicate with me this way.