Artist Statement

Artist Statement

Photography is but a tool of expression. It is through this tool that I am able to capture and convey a feeling, mood or thought. Having worked most of my life with computers, having to deal with absolutes and limitations that are hard and fast, I find learning to express myself and my feelings with a camera an exceptional challenge. While there are many similarities to the challenges of programming computers and taking a good photograph, there are many places where they diverge.

Writing a good computer program is like taking a photograph in that you need to visualize the outcome in order to put together the steps to reach that outcome. Each element of a program must be addressed, just as decisions such as what aperture and shutter speed should be selected must be made, taking into consideration what effect it will have on the end result.

But where photography diverges from computer programming is where I find the most difficulty. Computers respond just as they are told, while the logic can fail, the outcome is just as it was told. In photography the exposure can be correct, you can plan your depth of field to the inch and time the shutters release to exact second but the photograph does not always convey the desired emotion or feeling. It is in this difficulty that I find my greatest challenge with photography.

In my photograph "Inside Looking Out," I enjoy the symmetry and the texture of the brick. Also the hallway leading into the unknown feels like opportunity or hope. And as with my photography it leads me to the question, "What's next?"

-Clifford Hope