When I was a little boy and I would visit my aunt's house, I was always fascinated by a picture she had on the wall. It was an old black and white photo of my grandparents, my father, and my aunts and uncles. The picture was taken in the early 1920's and showed a somewhat typical Ukrainian immigrant couple with their American born children. They are dressed in their best clothes and wear expressions that are keeping with the importance of the occasion. My father looks as if he has just been yelled at by his father, while my aunt tries to look beauiful in her First Communion dress (a fea...

When I was a little boy and I would visit my aunt's house, I was always fascinated by a picture she had on the wall. It was an old black and white photo of my grandparents, my father, and my aunts and uncles. The picture was taken in the early 1920's and showed a somewhat typical Ukrainian immigrant couple with their American born children. They are dressed in their best clothes and wear expressions that are keeping with the importance of the occasion. My father looks as if he has just been yelled at by his father, while my aunt tries to look beauiful in her First Communion dress (a feat she handles quite well). I was always fascinated by the fact that this moment was forever captured. Even now I am always intrigued when looking at old pictures to realize that the people staring back at me may no longer walk the earth, but some part of them is still with us. Each moment is unique, people grow old, fat, bald, dye their hair, pierce their nose. Landmarks erode, people build fences, houses, parking lots, flowers bloom, they wilt, they die. But what I have captured is mine forever... and yours if you care to look. Such is my fascination with photography.

I have lately taken to manipulating my photos in various ways, mostly to make them look like art. Alas, my drawing and painting skills are non-existent, but by using various filters and brushes I can at least give the appearance of something unique. I find that this satisfies me and for now that is sufficient. A painting is, in my view, a photograph with the artists spin. The moment is still forever captured, but it is a moment you will forever share with the artist.

I hope you enjoy my captures and creations. I am always flattered when someone chooses to posess one of them

Thanks

Jim