I am a photographer who works primarily in black and white. My past experience with black-and-white film photography and my study of the art and culture of East Asia, particularly ink brush painting, are the sources for my style of work. Chinese ink paintings – with their simple depictions of ordinary things like a branch of a tree or a stalk of bamboo, but which convey deeper meanings than their subjects suggest – have inspired me to emulate their aesthetic in my photographs. I want my photographs to move people to be more aware of the natural world in their everyday surroundings and to experience its inherent beauty and meaning.