About

From The Artist

Originally I’m from New York and have been living in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2005. I love the California lifestyle and diverse culture! Although, I’ve studied photography formally at Syracuse University and UC Berkeley, I consider myself to be a self taught photographer, learning from trial and error and the desire to achieve greatness.

I’ve been inspired by many of the old world masters of photography.  Paul Strand, Alfred Stieglitz, and Edward Weston influenced me in their mastery of composition and unique use of shapes and forms.  Modern masters of photography that directly inspired my love for beauty, the human form and deep commutative expression are Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Mark Shaw and Herb Ritts.

I most admire Richard Avedon for his never ending persistence to be a creator and not an observer. His ability to capture his‘sitters’ nuances of character with intuitive clarity. Avedon was continuously fascinated by the world and created works of art that contained emotions that were real, while observing and capturing the contrast and opposite side.

For me photography is about the energy you feel during the viewing experience of the complete imagery. During every shoot, I feel emotionally connected to my subjects and the surroundings. The personal connections shared during the creative time spent capturing each photo is what I love most.

It has been said that the best artists are attached to their work, I am the same way.  I try to separate myself from the experience before editing. It is hard to be objective about your work when you are still excited from ‘the moment’. When my excitement level returns to normal, I’ll begin the post process workflow, sorting and editing. When the excitement returns while editing and the connections to the photographic experience reignites, I know the work is ‘good’. This is very rewarding and satisfies my thirst for life, simply something money cannot buy.

Early in my career I photographed editorials for cancer survivors, aneurysm and stroke victims. Many of those assignments left me emotional behind the camera. At the same time witnessing, the strength and positive attitudes of these survivors was a very personal and inspirational message. The survivors openly shared their heart breaking stories with me and showed me the true meaning of hope, courage and faith. I felt honored to be in their presence and even more grateful to be able to acknowledge how precious every day of life truly is. Everyone has a story to tell. Being open to receive each other’s commonality; of joy, hopes and dreams, love and loss, within each other and gifts that bind us together is a key ingredient to life.

The most important picture anyone can create is their own self image. What you create on the inside you will attract on the outside.

– Michael Malerba