i think the images that resonate the most strongly with me are the ones that catch the human figure in motion. for example, image #s: 1 & 22 make use of the figure as it moves through the frame. these present the idea of “fleeting” most strongly to me, and invite me to experience it in my own imagination, and more so than the images of moving animals…animals are always something “other”, i think.

but i also love the use of animals, and people’s relationship to them. in some of these images, the animals seem to symbolize nature as something sort of antagonistic to human existence –the bird on a leash, for example. in other images, it feels like you use animals to symbolize the wild & unrefined kernel at the core of human existence.

i should also mention that i love your use of LIGHT. and that i enlarged these images to occupy the entirety of my computer screen, and i just don’t see the problems other people see.

i understand that none of these are documents, but the images here that appeal to me the least are the ones that look the most documentary, and the ones in which the subjects are aware of the camera.

k, i guess that’s it from me. i have admired your work from afar for so long!!!

I sometimes do some double exposures in camera on 35mm neg colour.. When it works its such a pleasant surprise. I’ve not done it as much as I’d like but will pursue more. In camera on film my main concern is about picking subject that leaves somes open shadowed space and try and incorporate an overlay in to that corner.. Haven’t done enough to show successfully.

I’ve been making montages for approximately 15 years, exhibiting for 13. Of the images shown here, the square format and pano images were done sometime after 2006. Yes, I have done a number of illustrations and book covers, as digital photomontage works nicely with those types of projects. Some significant influences on my work are religious art (Mexican mostly) and magic realism literature.

I’ll try too answer your question, Peter. I typically work by planning the whole image and sketching it loosely at first. However, the direction may change as I am shooting or in the construction process, and I may end up with a final image which is not related to the original idea. There are also occasions when I might use a particular photo as a starting point, and then add elements to it, thereby changing the context of the original photo.

When shooting the different components of a final image, I consider direction and intensity of light, as well as perspective. The tone and saturation of color is not a consideration when shooting an image, but is handled later in the process of manipulation.

So well done in getting all those original images.. They look great on there own..

Would truly love to hear you talk about the things you needed to think about technically during these constructs and how much the original images inspired you within themselves..

Your work is beautiful. Its artistic in a pre Raphalite way.. The difficulty for me is a more contemporary association, which are those high gloss adds one might find on the inside of high end magazines. This has nothing to do with you and your work but my association. I just wish I could get beyond it as I truly appreciate this whole other worldliness. I ‘ll certainly be checking out your web site..

With painting, and ‘pictorial’ photography, do you ‘plan’ more, do you choose what you want to say, *before* doing the work? Do you need to have something to say *before* doing the work, or does it flow *from* the work, maybe building upon a *feeling*…

Questions on a Thursday night after vino rosso and fernet branca…

Many photoshop montage makers fall into the trap of pulling contrasts and colours in too extreme directions, but that’s not the case here. The only piece I’m struggling with is #9 where the sharpness look fake.

That being said, I can appreciate the difficulty of the work done here, and many of them take your breath away. Number 8 and 15, for example, stopped me in my tracks. I found myself staring in amazement.

LaChapelle-esque except on the darker and more moody side – please take this as a major complement to your artistic work.

Like others I viewed more than one, and in its entirety. I will also return to it.

Congrats – a composition worthy of burn attention.

Regards.

Some of these images had me open-mouthed in admiration – others left me variously shocked, amused, frightened… All of these reactions are, of course, evoked by the way your images touch my ‘reality’…

Well done,Tom. Excellent work on many levels.