Since college—when my father asked, “Why buy posters to decorate your dorm when you can make ones you’ll always remember?"—I've been captivated by the notion that art can be found anywhere. Many of us these days carry cell phones with built-in cameras in our pockets, so we're at-the ready (if only we paid attention) to capture both the spontaneous beauty and occasional bizzareness of the world we share.

"Populist" or "guerilla" art has taken many grand forms: "The Gates" in New York City is a perfect example.  Art as sociological experiment, its magnificence was not in the orange squares of fabric lining Central Park's paths, but in the peaceful urban meld that meandered beneath them all weekend.

I'm attracted to art that everyone can appreciate—but more importantly, that anyone can afford. None of the equipment used to capture these images cost over $250: a Canon Rebel X 35mm (I miss film...), a Panasonic Lumix digital camera, and an LG Voyager phone.

Some have asked about the underlying motif of my photography, but I’d rather not inject anything highfalutin or esoteric, because at their essence, these images are designed to be aesthetically intriguing. Light games capture instantaneous colors, shapes, shadows, and sentiments before they flit away.

The camera’s lens is a naked eye.

None of my photos are edited, with the exception of a crop or the removal of a time-date stamp (which shouldn’t have been there in the first place). No color corrections or contrast improvements. You see what I saw—and I hope you’ll feel what I felt.

 

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All images © 2011 by Jonathon Feit. All rights reserved.
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