At the age of 65, I have witness and felt the exponential acceleration of my world. Once a slow consistent pace measured by birthdays, and how far I could ride my bicycle.  Now, the world assaults my senses, not only in speed but in the various way it competes for my attention and my likes. The world seems over colorized. It is superficial, sloppy, aggressive and vulgar.  I am out of place in this hectic technicolor insanity. 

With a camera, I escape to a parallel universe of shades of grey, light, texture and shadows where the world moves much slower, much more restrained, with more elegance.  It’s like moving from heavy metal to smooth jazz on the radio dial. My frames are my moments, my perception of the world.  A subtle world without the distraction of color.  This doesn’t imply less, but more.  Without the distraction of color, it is about distilling an image to its essentials…light, shadow, texture and form— allowing the viewer to focus more deeply on composition and emotion. In many cases, the absence of color can make a photograph more powerful rather than less.

I enjoy photographing people, especially candid portraits.  Color can influence mood strongly—bright tones may evoke joy, muted tones sadness—but it can also distract from subtle emotional cues found the face or posture. I like to strip away that influence. that color causes. Monochrome photography often conveys feelings more directly through facial expressions, body language, and atmosphere. The absence of color encourages viewers to engage more imaginatively, filling in the gaps and interpreting the scene on a deeper level.

Additionally, monochrome photography can simplify complex scenes. In environments where colors clash or distract, converting to black and white can unify the composition. This is especially true when creating high contrast black and white images where the amount of each color determine the success of the frame.

In conclusion, monochrome photography offers clarity, emotional depth, and timeless elegance. By removing color, I attempt to highlight the core elements of an image and invite viewers to see beyond surface details. Rather than being a limitation, monochrome is a powerful artistic choice that reveals the beauty of light, shadow, and form in their purest expression.