"Turning an Ocean Liner Around in a Bathtub"

Sometimes we find ourselves in places that are comfortable, not safe necessarily, but comfortable. We become united with the tools, technique becomes easy, and the results are perfect. Time after time. Hell, that is what commercial photography is all about... a home freekin' run at every bat.

And that is as it should be. We work damn hard to get to that point. And we spend a lot of money. And we spend a lot of time... sometimes so much that things, and people, that were important get shorted. Sometimes we pay a price.

And then we start down a new path... one that is less familiar, but oh so much fun. The joy becomes so intense we want to walk there everyday. It is a dangerous, lush path of creativity. Where in one area home runs are a daily occurence, on this new path we have to work hard for them. We smile at base hits... and are overjoyed when one gets hit out of the park.

OK... that's it on the baseball analogy, but you get my point. Thomas Broening is finding his way on a new path. I love the new work as much as his commercial work, but for different reasons. The solid commercial work is excellent, the new stuff a little raw and personal and intimate. We see things through his eyes, but he allows us to bring so much of our own to each image.


PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS BROENING

"And then sometimes you make photographs and you are not sure what to make of them.

The truth is I am not sure how to make sense of all of this and it feels alot like trying to turn an ocean liner around in a bathtub."

Take a moment to see this growing body of work and let him know what you think.