James Hamel
Most landscape photography is an exploration of nature and the environment, where anything created by humans is shunned from the photo. My photography celebrates the man-made structures of the world. I explore everything from striking views to old harbors to street scenes, on a quest to capture the lines, colors, and tones in the scene. Not details or small slices of the scene, I want to show you the whole thing. This leads to the initial challenge: turning a messy, three-dimensional scene into a compelling two-dimensional photograph. I focus on shapes and lines to create photos with immediate impact. The strong lines and bright lights of the urban environments help in this regard. Once the photo grabs your attention, I work to achieve a certain depth in the photo. Youll notice that you usually look into my photos, not at them. This depth is what tells the story of the place. In the end, the whole thing is about exploration and trying to show you whats out there. The camera acts as my passport. It allows to go places I otherwise wouldnt go, and to see things I otherwise wouldnt see. My photographs are like letters home, trying to convey to others what I have experienced. It is my hope, in this era of near-constant work and passive entertainment, that my photos will inspire others to see whats out there as well. Please see www.JimHamelPhotography.com for additional examples of my work.
