Authenticity Statement
Real Places • Real Light • Real Moments
My photography is rooted in documentary realism, capturing landscapes and wildlife exactly as seen by the camera.
Editing is consistent with standards used in major photography competitions for realism.
If an image ever departs from reality (which is rare), it will be clearly stated in the photograph’s description.
Artificial intelligence and heavily constructed digital imagery are increasingly common in today’s marketplace. Because of this, clients and collectors should feel completely comfortable asking how an image was made.
Digital room mock-ups of my art in various homes are simply visualization tools.
“Fine Art Photography” - Buyer Beware
Fine Art Photography is one of the most misunderstood terms by clients and collectors in the photography industry.
Definition: the photographers vision of a scene, interpretation or concept, rather than to faithfully document reality.
This approach may include:
Replacing skies
Adding or removing elements
Compositing multiple locations
Heavy digital manipulation
Constructed scenes or staged environments
Creating reflections or water effects that did not exist naturally
Moving mountains, trees, or other landscape features within the image
Adding wildlife that was never present in the original scene
Creating entire scenes through artificial intelligence prompts
Digital image creation is a legitimate art form. The important thing is transparency—artists should clearly explain how an image was created rather than relying on the label “Fine Art Photography” and expecting the public to understand the definition, and that the scene may have been digitally constructed with little basis on reality.
Artificial Intelligence is threatening traditional photography
The New York Times
“Artificial intelligence is blurring the line between photographs and images that never existed.”
Content Authenticity Initiative
“The rise of generative AI makes it increasingly difficult to know what is real and what is not in digital media.”
Professional Photographers of America
“AI-generated images raise questions about authorship, copyright, and the future definition of photography.”
Tradition
Photographers such as Galen Rowell, David Muench, and Thomas D. Mangelsen built their reputations by patiently waiting for extraordinary natural light in real places rather than constructing scenes on a computer.
I do not suggest that I belong in their company, but their philosophy of documentary realism and patience in the field is something I am committed to along with transparency and authenticity.
Creating my photographic art required decades of learning, classes, seminars, retreats, and countless early alarms long before sunrise, hiking into remote locations, and a great deal of personal effort—a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. And to be present when the light and moment finally come together. And that happens rarely, despite the best planning and efforts.
AI will never create my images.