Like many kids in the 1970s, I made my first pictures with a Kodak Instamatic camera. I would photograph cars and pets, but mostly the camera would come out for special gatherings like family birthdays, holidays, vacations, and parties. Posed shots were the standard, but my favorites were the candid action pictures.
Embracing photography’s unique ability to freeze a moment in time, I began looking for gatherings in search of the universal emotions surrounding celebrations. The playfulness and positive energy at many of these events was exciting and contagious. People appeared to set aside their differences, forget their worries, and simply have fun for a few hours on a weekend afternoon. It became my obsession to capture this energy and preserve it within a rectangle. Crucial to my photographic process is that the moments captured are real and not staged or posed.
The need to gather and celebrate is essential to human existence. Gathering allows for a shared experience that cannot be had in any other way. While the news emphasizes conflict, negativity and darkness, I believe that it's increasingly important to fill our lives with festive gatherings.
