Artist's Statement

I was raised on a vegetable farm in Kim Po, about an hour south of Seoul, South Korea. For many years, my three passions have been rock and mountain climbing, traveling, and outdoor photography. Having had the good fortune to win the Korean National Rock Climbing Championship in 1983 and 1985, and to climb to the summits of Mt. McKinley and El Capitan, I have been blessed with many opportunities to experience nature from her most rare and serene vantage points.

My photography combines three major elements. The first is the tranquility of the environment itself. Each scene ― whether a natural American landscape, a Japanese seascape, or an everyday French or Italian cityscape ― possesses the same zen-like peacefulness that I experienced while growing up on my family's farm, and later in life when climbing and camping out on remote mountaintops. I strive to capture and share this serenity with my images.

The second element is the "picture within a picture" ― that is, a dominant abstract pattern which is distinct from, yet related to the overall image.  Because such patterns reveal themselves only through thoughtful and patient observation, and because we frequently move through such scenes too quickly to recognize these patterns consciously, it is my challenge to identify and capture these patterns for the viewer.

Technical excellence is the third element.  First, I pre-visualize exposure values using the Zone System, which I studied in Korea under a leading master photographer. I then compose and capture the scene with a Contax 645 medium format film camera or a Linhof Master Technica large format(4X5) camera.  Next, I personally hand-process my exposures with the Jobo CPP-2 system, and then hand-print each image using either fiber- or resin-based archival papers.  Finally, I mount, mat, sign, number and frame each piece by hand.