How to Create Emotion thru Photographic Art

I wanted to create a futuristic anatomic-like subject that could not feel or express itself.  I created this image from various parts that I photographed at different locations whenever I spotted interesting pipes, gears and various metals.

I  assembled this image from an idea which was born from recalling the plight of the Tin Man from the movie “The Wizard of  Oz.”

Although this image is of a person wishing for a heart, I hoped that the finished creation would express feeling, creativity, anticipation, and emotion. The subject is holding a heart to symbolize that a change is possible for a positive outcome. Hopefully the finished image resonates with the viewer especially those who have similar anticipatory desire. 

This image took several months to create the final outcome since it took time to locate all the photos and the idea to complete the image. I did all work in Photoshop with various blend modes and adjustment layers.  

I’m drawn to photographing fragments—parts and pieces of intriguing objects, especially metal, gears, fractals, and small, compelling details. Most of my final images are built from 10 to 50 layers, often composed over time. The individual photographs I take aren’t meant to stand alone or be easily defined. Instead, I capture details that I feel will contribute to a future creation—elements chosen more by instinct than by intention.

The background image is a composite of two photographs: the first is a metal detail captured from a naval ship in Virginia Beach; the second is an abstract element discovered on a public street. I combined the two using various blend modes and a hue/saturation adjustment layer to unify their tones and textures.

I am heavily influenced by Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte and many other surrealistic artists.  I am inspired by sci-fi, animation, fine art and any other elements which can amaze me. I also get immense satisfaction when creating complex images that take several months to work on and I make many changes through those times. I also like adding a lot of color and saturation to my images to make them pop and seem more realistic. 

Creating art is a meaningful form of self-expression for me. It’s not only therapeutic, but also deeply rewarding—especially when others connect with the work and resonate with the feeling behind it.