“Those Blooming Weeds”

The purpose of this project is to invite viewers to discover and appreciate the beauty in the mundane and commonplace weeds that may inhabit their backyards—a sentiment that pays tribute to the aspirations of the masters who precede me.

The early masters of photography leave an indelible mark on my craft and why I make images.  Their skill in presenting mundane and everyday things so they appear extraordinary is especially inspirational.  This history and the ability to make commonplace items remarkable guided me as I developed a collection of images about backyard weeds.

After returning to my Colorado home from a seven-year absence overseas, I quickly learned to appreciate the mad genius of these tenacious plants.  They are like a gang of youthful deviants who wait patiently in the shadows for just the right time to strike.  Weeds have unique personalities, too.  They are especially cunning as they reappear year after year.  Weeds laugh at the most vile chemistry sprayed on them. A threatening spade never deters them.  Weeds understand their stubborn persistence guarantees a home in my backyard.  They are just evil.

However, I now yield to those blooming weeds.  Their persistence is simply overwhelming.  The battle has shifted from opposition to acceptance. It’s time to admire their tenacity as a literal part of their character and a metaphor for how we too may thrive in adversity.

 Selecting each weed-subject for this project was limited to what grew in my backyard.  Some weeds blossomed in the morning and quickly retreated in anticipation of mid-day heat never to be seen again.  Other blossoms appeared, and then wilted as if they had died, only to reappear days later.

Over four months, I picked weeds, brought them indoors, and experimented with various mounting techniques.  Each selection involved careful consideration for composition, lighting, backdrop, and exposure.  North and south-facing windows were used at various times of the day to reveal the hidden splendor of each weed.  In this way, only natural light was used.