My Thesis Project, Beyond Mystic Lake, explores the concept of narrative through a series of fine art photographs.  Working in the directorial mode, within a hybrid of directed and constructed reality involvement, I employ a narrative arc to visually tell a story. The universal story structure I ascribe to is “Voyage and Return,” where the hero travels to another world and back again, in order to learn about themselves, and get a better understanding of their role in the world.

My intent for this project is to visually entertain and provoke the imagination. I hope to engage the viewer’s imagination by referencing classic stories of this genre. Drawing on the history and structure of literature, my objective is to impart on the viewer an understanding of the universal quest of an individual’s journey toward self-realization.

I capture the images on a DSLR and use compositing techniques during postproduction in Photoshop. I will be presenting between 16 to 20 images at final review. The prints will be 12” x 18” on Canon Pro Platinum Photo paper, presented matted and framed.