Member – Inner Light Photographic Society
Artist Statement
One afternoon on a pier in southern California, as I sat, chin resting on the railing, legs dangling over the side, gazing at the ocean below, I suddenly saw the surface of the water quite differently; not as solid, not as liquid, but simply as movement revealed by light. I understood in that moment, that light does more than create perception of surface as the boundary between one state of matter and another, but rather, light became the medium that allowed me to see the world differently. In that moment I came to understand that light can define more than shape, substance, or color.
We are trained to devote our senses to completing tasks, fulfilling obligations, counting things, viewing digital screens, coming and going safely; thus the way we see becomes matter of utility. We miss what otherwise might be interesting, curious, beautiful …
For me, the camera has become a medium of discovery that allows me to create and share images that might otherwise be forever lost in utility. I enjoy photographing just about anything: graffiti on railroad cars, cast-offs at the local construction yard, flowers, wolf spiders, clouds, ice melting … Experimenting with the panorama feature on my first smart phone, I developed an instant fascination. In these camera-scapes, point of view takes on a very different meaning. Conventional relationships disappear. Surfaces meet at unusual angles. Light can sometimes travel around corners. The nature of panoramic image is dynamic and unfolding, and while it still resides within a frame it awakens the possibility that we may also see the dynamic and unfolding nature of the world around us.
Artist Biography
Linda Freeland is a photographer with a diverse background that spans 40 years. She began as a staff photographer and camera room operator for a local newspaper in southern California, and as a custom color processor for professional photographers. Her freelance photography includes portfolio and personal portraiture, product photography, event, and construction site photography. Her fine art photography has been exhibited in various private and university galleries in southwest Washington and Oregon. She has been an active member of Inner Light Photographic Society since 2010.