Jeff Irwin

Fine art photographer living in Crested Butte, CO.

There is in life an energy that unites all things. It is what connects us as humans to the natural world and allows for a greater sense of discovery. There is nothing we can create that does not already exist in some form in nature. My images make the connection to the world around us by drawing out the qualities of ordinary subjects that most people tend to overlook. Whether it be ice, rocks, wallpaper or mud, I photograph in order to break down our notions of how things ought to look. It requires patience in order to fully understand all that is happening around us. It is not my goal to deceive. No physical manipulations ever take place while photographing. They have merely been seen and recorded in a way that brings out their energy and emotion. This in turn brings out the unity between all matter of life and allows their interrelationships to become manifest. My process is based upon simplicity. I come across a subject and become interested in its potential. Merely being an observer is not enough, I must become a part of what I'm photographing. I then linger until a level of clarity has been reached. Once I know what part I have to play, I isolate the subject in a balanced way so as to illuminate the unity I wish to relate. I then expose the subject based on my own sense of how the final image should look, not necessarily how it actually is. It is not a manipulation to peel back layers in order to expose deeper meanings. It requires patience to control the passion when I first come across a subject. Every image is different and should be treated as such. Sometimes I will flip my images if I feel it illuminates a greater understanding. I am never so rigid in my approach that I don't consider all possibilities. This will all hopefully enable the viewer to further their own understanding and connection to life.