Light Shavings

Photography by Scott Whittemore

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I’ve been scraping little shavings off my ration of light
and I formed it into a ball and each time I pack a bit more onto it.
I make a bowl of my hands and I scoop it from its secret cache
under a loose board in the floor
and I blow across it and send it to you against those moments
when the darkness blows under your door.

Isn’t that what friends are for?

…Bruce Cockburn

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Photography is all about light – taking advantage of good light when it's available, and otherwise making the best of not-so-good light. What you see here is what I've been able to do with whatever light I've been granted – my light shavings, if you will.

By my definition, a successful photograph reveals something about the subject that might not be apparent to the casual observer. Further, I think a photographic image must capture the viewer’s attention and then hold it. The photographer’s tool is the entire photographic process, from the initial capture of an image in the camera through darkroom work (digital or otherwise) and displaying. Unless the objective is photojournalism, where the most innocent alteration of the in-camera JPEG (or negative) can become a serious credibility issue, I see nothing sacred about the in-camera result, whether digital or film. I believe the artistic photographer must use the entire process to achieve success.

The most difficult thing for me is knowing whether I’ve achieved success. I can see whether I like a particular image but I don’t regard that, in and of itself, as a sufficient measure of success. Hence, this web site to solicit your opinions and reactions.

Thank you for viewing and commenting. I hope you enjoy my light shavings.

Recent Photos

Galleries

Black and White

Updated: May 04, 2013 12:53pm PST

California Coast 02/2011

Updated: Apr 12, 2011 4:46pm PST

San Diego, June 2010

A few shots from my first visit to San Diego

Updated: Oct 11, 2011 6:26pm PST

California Coast 02/2010

Updated: Jul 26, 2011 12:23pm PST

Kitsap/Olympic, July 2009

I finally had an opportunity to return to the Puget Sound area in the ...

Updated: Mar 25, 2010 11:50am PST

Landscapes

I like to photograph landscapes but sometimes it's difficult to make a ...

Updated: Apr 16, 2013 5:49pm PST

Sea Shore

There's something about the sea shore...

Updated: Dec 22, 2012 7:56am PST

Day's Edge

Sunrises and sunsets from various locations. I don't necessarily seek ...

Updated: Feb 24, 2013 1:26pm PST

Fauna

Updated: May 19, 2013 5:36pm PST

SAAF Rookery

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm has built a boardwalk through a natur ...

Updated: May 19, 2013 12:35pm PST

Flora

My usual reason for photographing a flower, leaf or plant is to 'remem ...

Updated: May 19, 2013 4:34pm PST

Cascades

When I was a little kid, I loved to play in the stormwater running dow ...

Updated: Mar 22, 2013 10:25am PST

Out of Context

Meanings become malleable when things are taken out of context.

Updated: May 19, 2013 1:43pm PST

Iceforms

I find wintertime ice formations fascinating. These are scenes involvi ...

Updated: Jan 05, 2013 12:39pm PST

Mineral Crystals

These are photographs of naturally formed crystals that I have collect ...

Updated: Apr 04, 2013 6:03pm PST

Color Slides

These are all color slides culled from the collection I accumulated be ...

Updated: May 20, 2007 1:13pm PST

Structures

Updated: Dec 05, 2012 5:37pm PST

Art

Updated: Mar 29, 2012 4:59pm PST

Settings

Can the appeal of a place be captured in a photograph?

Updated: Dec 01, 2012 3:43pm PST

Boston Area

Updated: Feb 13, 2009 5:11pm PST

Charleston 0711

Updated: Apr 10, 2012 6:50pm PST

Horse Sense -- First Group

Updated: Sep 29, 2011 8:32am PST

Horse Sense -- Second Group

Updated: Sep 29, 2011 10:50am PST