Jay Hahn—Artist’s statement

          I wasn’t born in a log cabin, deep in the wilderness, but I desperately wanted to be. Fortunately, I live there now. All my life I have had an unwavering love of wild places, and their inhabitants.  I hope this shows in my work. Since my teens, my work has focused less on “capturing the moment” and more on conveying what I felt in that moment. In recent years I was surprised and thrilled to discover  that many of the great artists I admire such as Van Gogh, Escher, Ansel Adams, and Monet have expressed this same sentiment.

      I freely admit that I often use “tricks” or “tools” to increase my chances of success in this communication. Many of my pieces have dramatic color or perspective splashes, which grab the viewer’s eye, luring them further into the photograph and enticing them to explore the piece more fully. During this exploration, one is often rewarded with subtle surprises not noticed at a casual glance.

    As such a lover of nature, it may be considered somewhat ironic that the digital camera and computer software have given me the freedom I have been seeking to fully explore natural forms and textures. Then again, as an environmentalist I wholeheartedly embrace moving beyond the poisonous chemical darkroom. Hopefully, I am proving that “Digital Nature Photographer” need not be an oxymoron. My art is about communication on an archetypal level. In the digital medium, I believe I have found my voice.