Opentography

The practice of image craft through material and nature.

The term "opentography" combines "open"—embracing multiple approaches—with "tography" meaning the act of writing or marking. While photography means "writing with light," opentography expands this to include visual writing through light, chemistry, paint, and collage.

Opentography mixes experimental film techniques with photographic work, blending boundaries between camera and camera-less methods. Often beginning with a simple photographic image, the practice layers direct manipulation, paint, and collage to create unique still image objects.

At its core, opentography explores what makes an image by taking apart and rethinking the photographic process. The resulting works stay connected to photographic media while moving into abstract expression.

The practice can extend to time-based work with sound, connecting to experimental film traditions while establishing opentography as a practice that seeks balance between remaining open to new ideas while maintaining focus on photographic image craft.