About

 I have been photographing indigenous culture since as long as I can remember. My mission is to inspire people to remember who we are, where we come from, and celebrate our shared indigenous roots and connection to the natural world. Elongation is a form of that celebration as it joins heaven and earth. It is an archetype for spirit, strength, and resiliency. 

All of my photographs are taken with analogue film cameras and there are no digital special effects. I began working with mirrors in 1983 after receiving a dream from my grandfather. I was in search of a method in photography that would reveal the hidden energies and forces that shape our perception. 

I have photographed extensively in Africa, and southeast asia where I lived among the people seen in my photographs. Getting to know them and listening to their stories fueled my imagination and inspired my work. In many instances, I visited the same villages over a period of many years. This is why the work feels so personal and intimate. For example, I photographed the same Akan Fishermen over a period of three years, between 2009 and 2011. Otherwise I believe it would be impossible to make such a photograph like Lifeline. There is a great deal of trust in this image. Trust that I will tell their story honesty through photography. 

In this image titled Lifeline, the Akan fisherman is protector and guardian. He was taught by his father to respect the sea, protect it and cherish it as one would a family member. The Akan are fighting against international fishing vessels coming into their waters and depleting populations of fish and are part of an organization that reports sitings to government officals. 

In the work I produced with them, they are showing their bond, unity, love, and passion for the ocean and all its creatures.