Mike Serkownek

 

Artist Statement

The images I create are a product of my past. An early passion for watercolors influences my selection of papers, as well my style and compositions, while my parents, studies in biology and art provided my interest in nature and landscapes as my subjects. Later, my career in technology and quality assurance provided me with the skills and knowledge to utilize the digital camera, software, printers and color management process to create the final print. I am first, and foremost, concerned with great composition. Landscape photography, however, is ultimately an exercise in hope. Like studio based artists, I can, and do, visualize an image I want to create, unlike the studio artist, I must find the components of the image and hope that conditions will support its creation. More often than not disappointment is on the agenda, but nature and light sometimes align creating the opportunity for that perfect image. The light for the image is then carefully “collected” in the field by paying attention to the characteristics of the light and how the camera is recording them. This ensures all necessary attributes, often through multiple images, are obtained for the final polished print. What I hope the viewer takes from my work are my love of light and nature, my patience and skills to achieve the capture, and finally, a stirring impression from the print. Each image is printed by the artist and is an original photograph (all prints printed by the original photographer are considered originals, once they are sent out they become reproductions). I go one step further than most photographers and limit the prints to 40 or less, no unlimited unumbered prints.



Tennessee COonservationist

 

I have had several covers on the Tennessee Conservationist, which are provided for free to publish promote conservation. I do not particularly enter contests, I have seen so many poorly judged ones that I have lost faith in them. The primary person I try to please is myself and hopefully you, otherwise why create images? That would be boring !

 

Past publications;

Trace of Light