Sylva, NC, Spring 2024

One Frequently Forgotten Question:

WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?

Wondering why.

All the question marks driven by our innate, elemental forces create the human condition.

Love, friendship, authenticity, grit, awareness, charm, confidence, courage, doubt, elegance, empathy, allure, fantasy, humor, imagination, presence, responsibility, romance, style, flair, volition, "je ne sais quoi," and the unavoidable hoard of sorrow nurture us by creating a constellation of question marks.

Opposite to electronic machines designed to flood our attention and manipulate intelligence with customized answers, the photographic experience demands focus and questioning. I directed hundreds of photo-shoots and I know that each photo-shoot is a unique, irreducible learning experience. Each photo-shoot is a path to lay questions while engaging a peerless human interaction. Question marks are what light, the photographer and the muse, and a roll of film can still reveal today. Right then, right there, free of filters, we practice what makes us human.