

I started out my career as a photographer wanting to become a retoucher, and I was obsessed with perfection. But, perfection is BORING!
Photogenic Alchemy started out with a modified toy camera. I had converted a Holga to shoot 35mm film. I’d take it with me 24/7 and shot whatever I felt was interesting.
At the same time the series started, I was coming out a deep depression. I was terrified by everything, was agoraphobic, and couldn’t even get out of bed; let alone live in the seemingly bleak world that was out there for me. So I decided ENOUGH! Enough of the fear. Enough of the self-loathing. Enough of the isolation.
I left my self-made prison to explore the world around me. At a quarter century old, I felt like a kid again. Everything was new and everything was a possibility. I shot this new fascinating world taking street photos and landscapes.
However, the images were still bland to me. It came to a point where I wanted to explore the medium of film itself. I embarked on a journey that has led me here. Where is here? Here is a place full of what ifs. What if I electrified my film and then froze it afterward? What if I introduced absinthe to the emulsion? What if I was to soak the film in Ambien before I shot it?
Photogenic Alchemy is an exercise in controlled chaos and a study in the science of art. By breaking down silver salts and celluloid to its elemental form, I’ve created a dark and gritty apocalyptic world. It is a world that seems to be dissolving right before our eyes. Toxic and fascinating, each new roll of film left me intrigued. I couldn’t wait to try the next substance on my ever-increasing list.
Check out the whole series below.
Lemon Juice Ammonia Boiled Drano Aluminum Sulfate Vinegar Hydrogen Peroxide and Nail Polish Remover Cough Syrup Driveway Degreaser Ginger Juice Electrified Then Frozen Coca Cola Driveway Degreaser Electrified Then Frozen Ambien Hydrogen Peroxide Absinthe Champagne Absinthe Color Safe Bleach Drano Febreze Iodine Kerosene Iodine Ludigol-F Olive Brine Turpentine Bengay Pepto Bismol