Artist Pages

Olof Carmel

Olof Carmel: Artist Statement

My interest in photography stems from a strong desire to capture the beauty of the world around us and to share this with others. Through many years of hiking and living close to the wilderness, I have learned to see the natural landscape as a bright, colorful, positive and uplifting force and strive to capture it as such. I prefer to portray beauty in its simplest terms, through lines and movement, and with a meaning or message that is easily understood. To me, even small images (thumbnails) or prints viewed across a room should hold together compositionally and create a visual impact. I have found these principals resonate well with others.

I enjoy moving around and being quick while photographing. I have found that a "better" or more unique composition can often be found only by exploring the landscape -- e.g. by moving four feet to the right or down on my stomach or up on the hillside behind me. Moving quickly heightens my awareness and brings a greater intensity while a sort of meditative absence of thought moves over me. Perhaps it is the rush with time or the blood racing through my body, but the essence of a scene becomes suddenly clearer to me.

Reality, one's vision, and emotions merge to create the final image. As Ansel Adams once said: ". . . we are photographic musicians." True to ourselves, we must present the "music" that is dearest to our hearts.