(This blog post first appeared October 9, 2011)

For me, artistic influences have as likely as not revealed themselves after the fact … upon further reflection as it were. Since becoming serious about fine art photography I’ve come to appreciate street photography in the tradition of Willy Ronis and  Henri Cartier-Bresson. For a long time I’ve been a fan of the paintings of Edward Hopper, perhaps even before I knew his name. If I stop and think about it for a while there are certain photographs that I have made that will bear some, however thin, resemblance to the works of these artists. It should come as a surprise to no one that the art that an artist appreciates somehow influences the art that an artist produces.

Seeing a certain Hopper like influence in this particular photograph does not seem to be too much of a stretch. Beyond that, this photograph brings to mind film noir, the highly stylistic and atmospheric black and white films of the 40’s and 50’s with their fog and cigarette smoke and jazz playing in the background. Is the shadowy figure on the stairwell smoking a cigarette and texting a private eye, an undercover cop, or perhaps an innocent victim of circumstance who was duped into some form of intrigue by the wiles of a scheming beauty? This particular noir photograph was taken from the seat of a cable car on Powell Street in San Francisco at night without a tripod.
What are your thoughts about artistic influences? What are some of the things that have influenced your art?

(Note. This photograph and Old Faithful Greets A New Day were selected for 12 12 Gallery International Juried Photography Exhibition 2011 in Richmond, VA)