About the Photographer
Photography to me is an instinctive process. When I shoot something, it's because an object or setting captures my attention and I feel that I HAVE to act. After that, it's just a matter of trusting my muse and making sure I'm paying enough attention to the world around me to 'hear' each opportunity as it calls me over to take the picture.
Many of these photographs tend to reflect a somewhat reductionist philosophy. Some people might even consider the subject matter mundane, but I believe there's a beauty in simplicity and texture that outweighs more spectacular imagery. I find it particularly gratifying to focus on a small piece of life's puzzle and highlight its elemental beauty.
The natural bounty and seasonal climate of my surroundings in northeast Pennsylvania offer me inspiration at nearly every turn. Once I've chosen a subject, a sense of whimsy takes over the process. Often I don't know where a photograph is going until the moment I take the shot. You'll find several other influences in my work -- I'm fond of the flattened perspectives you get in some Asian art, for one -- but my true motivation is really all about reflecting the traits I value in myself when I believe I am at my best: Simplicity. Reflection. Peace. And a sense that the wonders of this world are all around us, always.
Susan Scranton Dawson