darkness closing in

These images immediately precede “Depart” in my mind, but not strictly because of the emotions commonly associated with death and dying. I believe that the hard times in life, when darkness most seems to be closing in, are the times when one must exert the most effort in order to move forward. Thus, these photographs impart a palpable feeling of motion and push the viewer to consider the ubiquity of change in life. As in “Ancestral ‘Aina,” the analogy between the natural world and lived human experience is a central theme. The palladium process emphasizes not just the looming darkness, but also draws the viewer’s eye to the distant light in the images, suggesting the persistence of hope in difficult times.

Palladium printing is a historical photographic method that dates back to the late nineteenth century. It requires the hand coating of 100% cotton rag paper with ferric oxalate, then an exposure with a negative in the darkroom under intense ultraviolet light. The print is highly archival and produces an exquisitely warm-toned image that emphasizes the light in a composition. The palladium printing process imbues the subject with a timeless intimacy, making it well suited to photographs of nature.

Palladium Printing is a historical photographic method that dates back to the late 1800s and is done by hand coating 100% cotton rag paper with ferric oxalate and exposed with a negative in the darkroom under intense ultraviolet light. The print is highly archival and produces an exquisite warm toned image.