Gordon Whitten - Artist Statement

Much as a painter uses paint and brushes, I, as a landscape photographer, use what lies before me. I am intrigued by the creation of the abstract from the concrete. Rather than simply create beautiful renditions of nature, I use nature to provide the basic strokes that I select and pose to create photographs of balance and dimension. Through this underlying expression, the images gain depth and duration, revealing the deeper binding of the elements within the photograph.

My photography is created utilizing the finest available tools, mediums, and techniques. Large format 8x10 view cameras create the initial Velvia slides, which I later print using Ilfochrome photographic materials on a state-of-the-art roller-transport photographic processor.

I travel several months of the year around the United States and overseas creating the images. Photography flows naturally from my life and experiences, having spent most summers every year from the age of four traveling and camping throughout almost all of North America. I started photographing seriously in high school and have kept at for more than 20 years. My education in science, especially geology, informs my work and makes me sensitive to the structure and forms of nature.

I switched to large format photography in 1991 and now have settled on 8x10 photography. The difficulty of traveling, hiking, and backpacking with such a camera slows one down and forces a more introspective view of things. I have been showing the results of this thought and expression in a number of photographic galleries since 1992, including more than a dozen shows.

My photography is represented in numerous private, corporate, and public collections. Additionally, other work has appeared in various print and CD-ROM publications.