The Roots

 Model: Nathan Shouse/ Photo: Sarah Thomas - 35mm B&W - silver gelitan print - hand sepia toned

Since I was born in south-eastern Virginia between the swamp and the ocean, I have always lived within a short drive to the sea and remained a beach kid at heart. I have always had an interest in Art of one kind or another. I have delved into many mediums, such as sculpting, classic oil painting techniques, pottery, and even still I throw myself in new directions constantly. Each experience has given me a better understanding of how the creative process works and new concepts to integrate into my own creative process.

Photography appealed to me as a hobby throughout my life. The power to stop a moment - to take a scene and freeze it in time forever left me completely enamored by this art form. Even so, I did not consider photography as a career path until I took the last classic 35mm Black and White course ever offered at the Visual Arts Center of Tidewater Community College. Lost in a sea of film and photos, I found a passion that I did not know had been missing.

Many hours were spent at school learning every thing I could about the entire process of running a darkroom, easily losing half a day before I realized it, sorting through filters, cutting paper and mixing chemicals.  I spent two semesters in the darkroom before the school decided to remove them and convert to an all digital medium for their entire photography department. 

I will always treasure the time that I spent learning what is now considered a dying art by many. The knowledge gained from those courses has held true through the transition to a predominantly digital photography world.  While I now shoot digitally most of the time, I look forward to being able to set up my black & white 35mm darkroom once again.