Hermon Joyner

Image © Hermon Joyner

Artist Statement

The Walkabout Series
The altered landscape fascinates me, whether urban, suburban, or rural. The way we shape the buildings, the infrastructure, and the land that surrounds them. The remnants of where and how we live on this earth. I am fascinated by the mess of it all, the moments of beauty and grace, and even the emptiness and solitude of the places I capture. I photographed these places at the moment when the people were absent. Their presence is implied but not always seen. The images function as an archaeological record of our shared lives.
Certain photographers and their way of seeing have influenced my way of working. Robert Adams, Stephen Shore, and Henry Wessel have all contributed to my visual vocabulary. Photographers like Eugene Atget, Berenice Abbott, and Joel Meyerowitz continue to inspire me.
My mode of working is simple and stripped down. For these images I used one camera and one lens. I drive to a location and park, and then I wander around the neighborhood or area, taking time to notice the lighting, the play of textures and colors, and the juxtaposition of lines and shapes. I compose in the viewfinder as I photograph and envision the final image as I work.

Hermon Joyner | Beaverton, OR