For some time, I have been photographing portions of the deteriorated and weathered paint on the hulls of sailboats left in outdoor winter storage as abstract compositions. That series is called "Painted By The Elements" and appears as another body of work in this Abstract Gallery. Recently I began to experiment with photographing those surfaces using the technique of in-camera multiple exposure. It is a technique I use in much of my other work, which involves shooting two or more images and merging them into a single digital file all within the camera. But this is the first time I have applied it to this subject matter. I am extremely excited about the combination of these deteriorated surfaces and the in-cmaera multiple exposure technique. It allows me to truly compose a highly abstract, painting-like image in my camera. In composing these images in this manner, I am sometimes working from a preconceived compositional idea, and then striving to realize it by carefully selection exactly what portion of the subject matter to shoot for the first of the images to be merged and framing it carefully, then selecting the next portion to shoot (which may or may not be on the same surface as the first) and carefully positioning that shot in the frame, and so forth, until the desired number of images are shot and merged. Sometimes I am shooting nearly spontaneously, acting on instinct as I go. And sometimes, it is a combination of the two. All of these images are, to my way of thinking, multidimensional. To some extent, the multidimentionality is self-evident since the final composition results from combining two or more images into one. But the multidimensionality also comes from the fact that they are, on the one hand, simple photographs of painted surfaces, but on the other hand they are abstract images in which I have "seen" various shapes, likenesses, feelings or other things of interest in each of the separate shots and brought them together into a new relationship to provide a resultant abstract composition with a composite meaning or feeling from the sum of its parts. And, in the final analysis, no matter what I "saw" or felt when I created them, they invite the viewer to derive their own feeling or reaction, which may well be far different from mine. That is, clearly, multidimensionality. And that, to my way of thinking, is the true beauty of abstract art. As you look at each of these, you may want to ask yourself questions like..What do I see in this image? What is evident, and what is suggested or hiding in its depth? Does it arouse any feeling or emotion in me? What do I think of as I look at them? And how do some of them parallel or contrast one another? The invitations to experience, imagine and feel are limitless in abstract art. Part of a continuing body of work.

These images are all close up photographs of peeling paint on the hulls of sailboats in mid-winter, taken over period of years. Each time I return I find new inspiration. I am repeatedly drawn to these surfaces as I find the gas I take my time to look at them in a contemplative state of mind, I find that I can truly compose a highly abstract, painting-like image in my camera. All of these images are, to my way of thinking, multidimensional. to my way of thinking, this multidimensionality comes from the fact that they are, on the one hand, simple photographs of peeling paint, but on the other hand they are abstract images in which I have "seen" various shapes, likenesses, feelings or other things of interest and which, on the third hand invite the viewer to derive their own feeling or reaction, which may well be far different from mine. That is, clearly, multidimensionality. As you look at each of these, you may want to ask yourself questions like..What do I see in this image? What is evident, and what is suggested or hiding in its depth? Does it arouse any feeling or emotion in me? What do I think of as I look at them? And how do some of them parallel or contrast one another? The invitations to experience, imagine and feel are limitless in abstract art. The images in this gallery were all taken with a digital camera. I have take a few of the same subjects with a vintage medium format film camera for an entirely different look. You can see those in the Black & White - Film gallery on this website. Part of a continuing body of work.

From an exploration in still another version of my frequently explored themes of multiplicity and multidimensionality, dealing with the idea that perhaps all is not what at first it appears to be. This is a body of work that I have only explored in two shooting sessions, but there will be more coming...! - Sometimes you never know what you’re going to get until you start shooting. Here, I’m exploring the relationship of a singular human form or two forms relating to each other as I shoot their reflected image in reflective mylar material to create an entirely different interpretation of the human dynamic. So far, in what will certainly evolve into its own distinct new body of work, I’ve utilized both singular shots of one or two subjects, and in-camera multiple exposures shot as reflections. And, I imagine, as the series evolves, more techniques will be explored. - Some of these images are rendered in color, and some in black and white. Currently, I am shooing with a digital camera, but I may shoot some in film as well, with one of my vintage medium format film cameras. - What does this image conjure up for you? What does it make you envision, or feel? - For now, I am very much experimenting with the reflective material, lighting, and various points of view from which to shoot this new work. At some point I will exhibit work from this series as a body of work. They are offered as limited edition prints. Feel free to check my Instagram page, or here, from time to time to see how the theme evolves….Carl

Images taken with a "macro" lens, a lens which is capable of taking very close up images, often within a couple of inches of the subject, and producing an magnified or 1:1 reproduction of the subject, With a macro lens you can get a detailed shot of, say, the eye of an insect. These images are, with the exception of a few flowers, macro images taken of mineral colorations and reflections on the surface of tiny puddles of water or tree bark, very close up

Photographs of layers of thin ice on Lake Champlain taken in late winter. Different patterns in layers of the ice formations seemingly superimpose upon one another to form a multidimensional abstract image. Processed in black and white they seem to me to resemble "etchings".

A series of photographs taken of a tree on the shoreline reflecting in there surface of pond, rippled slightly by wind. Depending upon the point of focus, depth of field and shutter speed used the effect is to create what I feel is similar to the look of a charcoal drawing when the image is converted to black and white. This is very much a work in progress.

I very rarely use software compositing in my work, preferring to do what I do using "in camera" techniques, such as in-camera multiple exposure. However, for some compositions it is mandatory, such as where I either need to control the precise placement of each subject in the image or where the composite made up of shots taken at different times and locations. This Gallery is very much in the "experimental" stages as I am learning the process. But I thought showing some of what I've done might be interesting. In almost all instances, any image I make which consists of combining more than one shot together is done "in-camera", rather than in software. However, occasionally, either because the result I want to achieve cannot be done "in-camera" or because I am combining shots taken at different times, I composite (or join) the separate images into one in software in the computer. The images in this collection were created by compositing two or more images together in software on the computer.