Thesis

Dependence and Defiance

The term family represents a group of people that live together and rely on one another.  The challenge individuals in all families face is that of adapting to changes, both outside and inside among one another.  As children we are dependent on those around us to raise us and help shape us into who we are.  Because we are individuals, not everyone in the family always agrees. The act of defiance is a natural process, which results from our instinctive strive for personal freedom, while we are all reliant on our families for support, love, and affection.  

         I am interested in photography’s ability to substitute written and verbal language as another form of communication.  The body of work I have been cultivating represents my life and journey as a student, teacher, father, lover, son, grandson, and more.  The photographs are a visual projection of my inner thoughts, dwellings and predicaments.  
        This work has acted as a form of dialogue for me, providing a way to communicate and learn about myself.  Dependence and Defiance is my personal diary.  In other words, these images have the abiltiy to put feelings back into my soul, they open a window to the past and in all ways provide a unique method of experiencing life around me.  The moments behind me stay with me and the moments around me become part of my journey.