Jacquelyn Schechter
Mindful Photography: Documentary and Fine Art
Asheville North Carolina

My interests are broad, but a teacher once casually remarked that my niche is "visual anthropology," which reflects my background in sociology and psychology. That was an "aha!" moment for me. Images involving people and culture that suggest stories, "something interesting is happening here," have always been my favorites.

When I pick up a camera (film or digital) I become more of a risk-taker -- go places I usually wouldn't and talk with people I'd ordinarily pass by. I don't want to over-analyze what attracts me -- I feel an impulse, and if what I see holds my attention, I move into it and go on autopilot. I might tweak the image later on the computer before I make a print, but generally the modifications are the same as I would perform in a darkroom.

Lately I've been experimenting with merging photo images and "haiku" in a genre called photo-haiga. Please see my wabi sabi gallery for an explanation and examples. Working with Polaroid transfers is another form of alternative photography that allows creative latitude and produces an original image every time.

I have a rubber stamp that says "Art is just another way of keeping a diary." That sums up the role of photography in my life. Better than words, photos show what we love, hate, grieve over, laugh about, want to remember... and they do it in an instant. Images of ordinary life become art when they are embraced by others who recognize and treasure them as their own experience.