a deeper dive: revisiting origins
my first fine art photography collection.
In order to see the future, we must revisit the past. That’s precisely what I want to do on today’s Substack. I guess you could say I am a classic nostalgist.
So much of Origins is a timestamp of the various chapters that led me to my fine art photography journey. It predates a time that I considered myself a “professional” photographer, let alone artist. I love that these pieces serve as a relic of times past.
As we enter into peak holiday season, I find myself reflecting on the importance that each piece represents. I am also selling these original pieces through my online sale.
1. “Self Portrait” — Gothenburg, Sweden
Captured at the iconic Hotel Pigalle lobby bar in Gothenburg, Sweden, Self Portrait invites us into a moment of indulgence and introspection. I remember sipping on one too many of the lobby bar’s signature gin and tonics while fixating on the intricate Victorian wallpaper. The brass frame within the scene felt like a nod to our gilded age—a metaphor for the layers we create to conceal life’s imperfections. This photograph asks: What lies beneath the surface of our increasingly curated lives? What are we hiding to make each day feel more manageable?
2. “Silent Étude” — Helsinki, Finland
Then we have a Silent Etude - this travel still life brings back so many warm memories of Helsinki travels. In between ferry rides from one archipelago to another in the Suomellinna region, the afternoon sun quietly cast the interior banquette seats aglow. My eyes were immediately arrested by the deep red velvet seats, and my camera shortly followed. This photograph brings you into this exact moment, as if you were sitting there quietly soaking up the window view. It’s a reminder to simply slow down. Let life progress at its own pace.
3. “A Seat at the Table” — Sub-Saharan Morocco
And perhaps one of my absolute favorites — I am adding one more to the mix, A Seat at the Table. This photograph took place on a press trip out to the Sub-Saharan region of Morocco. The night before we enjoyed a festive song and dance hosted by our effable Berber tour guides. Delicious stews and mint teas were served in abundance. I still think of them and this once-in-a-lifetime experience often. Never had I felt more bonded to a group of people. We were just mere strangers to one another a moment ago.
The next morning, I woke up eager to see the shape shifting dunes of the Sahara desert. Nothing could have prepared me for how vast and endless the desert was as I peered into the horizon. Just hues of blue and yellow. The hosts had set up a table for us to enjoy our breakfasts and dine, al fresco. Surrounding this empty table were various tracks on the sand, all criss-crossing together to create this beautiful tableau. I was immediately reminded of how much we tread on one another just for a proverbial seat at the table. We sacrifice our humanity so often in the name of profit, fame, amongst other covetous things. My hope is that we do not lose sight of what ultimately makes us human to one another. And that’s how this photograph came to be.
For me, so much of photography is surrendering to the moment. I recently shared this in a Cohart interview. I love moving about freely and intuitively with my camera. I consider it a storage vessel of sorts. Something I utilize to create and store away memories that will soon to be forgotten in an age of distraction. This is what makes my practice so meaningful for me. I get to preserve life’s moments, even the most mundane, and elevate them. A call to pause in our otherwise hectic and distracting day to day lives. I hope that these pieces bring you as much joy and peace as it does for me in the process of making and framing them.
Wishing you all a merry holiday,
Tommy