I am thrilled to announce the first installment of my ongoing series Obscura Lux, which translates from Latin into “Dark Light”.

It is an odyssey of bringing light to darkness, and I cannot thank the incomparable Lindsey Marks of Lady Jack Entertainment enough for kicking off the voyage in such a fantastic way. Lindsey is a dancer, actress, model, burlesque performer and all around bad ass boss lady. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect woman to help launch this project of mine.

The word “photography” is derived from two Greek root words: φωτός (phōtos), meaning “light” and γραφή (graphé), meaning “drawing”. So together, the literal translation of “photography” is “drawing with light”. And that is exactly what I am now focused on doing.

As a photographer, I’ve become very attuned to how light behaves. I cannot help but see how beautifully it illuminates and how the lack of it creates consuming darkness. From the warm glow of the golden hour to the silvery blue grey of moonlight, I am a constant admirer. And through photography, I am able to practice capturing light so that I can share it with you.

My series Obscura Lux is an exploration of the technique called Light Painting. The images I’m creating are not effects made in photo editing software…they are captured in camera, in real time. By leaving the shutter of the camera open for an extended period of time, I am able to actually step inside the scene and literally paint light onto the subject I am photographing. Because I’m moving fast enough, the camera only records the light I’m painting within the scene, leaving an image that couldn’t exist in real life.

The images I’m creating are not effects made in photo editing software…
they are captured in camera, in real time.

Through experimentation with light painting, I am seeking to harness and manipulate light to create images that catch you off guard. Using both delicate and intense light, my goal is to create seemingly otherworldly or inconceivable moments.

All light is comprised of little “packets” called Photons. And that is what each segment is called within my Obscura Lux series.

Welcome to Photon One.

As you look over the following images, I want to you keep the concept of a chrysalis in mind. The images in this collection, from start to finish, represent an emotional arc indicative of transformation.

At first you see an innocent, pure face that descends into a tormented soul battling her own demons that pull her in different directions. Electricity swirls and eddies about her. You see the facets of her strengths and fears in her many faces, leading to the cool, collected calmness one needs in order to harness one’s own power.

Rapt in her newly acquired abilities, she’s metamorphosed into a powerful woman who not only owns herself, but also exudes her newfound perspicacity with such fierceness that you feel as though you’re in a reckoning in her presence. Lindsey aptly deemed the latter images of the collection as “galactic tribunal” and I couldn’t agree more.

Over time, I aim to collect many more Photons, each featuring equally talented creators. But for now, I hope that you enjoy Obscura Lux – Photon One, featuring the inimitable Lindsey Marks.

Click on images for slideshow.

If you are interested in using/sharing any of these images or if you would like to hire me to create light painting images for your business or product, please contact me here.