Stephen Wilkes
“There is no difference between Time and any of the three dimensions of Space except that our consciousness moves along it.”
―H.G. Wells, “The Time Machine” Published. 1895
Time and memory, the essence of why we photograph. Photography has historically been defined as a single moment, captured in time. Our memories are defined by these moments, illuminating our consciousness of time as we age. Years ago, I imagined changing time within a single photograph; compressing the best moments of a day and night into a single image. Photographic technology has now evolved to allow my dreams to now become reality. Day to Night. I photograph from locations and views that are part of our collective memory. Working from a fixed camera angle, I capture the fleeting moments of humanity and light as time passes. After up to 24 hours of photographing and over 1500 images taken, I select the best moments of the day and night. Using time as my guide, all these moments are then seamlessly blended into a single photograph, visualizing our conscious journey with time.
Bio
Since opening his studio in New York City in 1983, photographer Stephen Wilkes has built an unprecedented body of work and a reputation as one of America’s most iconic photographers, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work.
His photographs are included in the collections of the George Eastman Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Dow Jones Collection, Griffin Museum of Photography, Jewish Museum of NY, Library of Congress, Snite Museum of Art, The Historic New Orleans Collection, Museum of the City of New York, 9/11 Memorial Museum and numerous private collections. His editorial work has appeared in, and on the covers of, leading publications such as the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Time, Fortune, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and many others.
In 1998, a one-day assignment to the south side of Ellis Island led to a 5-year photographic study of the island’s long abandoned medical wards where immigrants were detained before they could enter America. Through his photographs and video, Wilkes helped secure $6 million toward the restoration of the south side of the island.
Wilkes, who lives and maintains his studio in Westport, CT, is represented by Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York; Peter Fetterman Gallery, Los Angeles; Monroe Gallery of Photography, Santa Fe; and ARTITLEDContemporary, The Netherlands.
Nice refreshing change of pace for BURN.
Reference to the family of photographers is particularly true, especially in the upper strata of international photographers. You must get some of your energy and ambition from each other.
These multi-elemented composites are fascinating and, fun to look at.
You should do one on the outer banks.
Season’s Greetings, Burnians.
Sadly, for now, I am able to view this only on my phone. It appears to be spectacular and without a doubt innovative, creative and exacting. I look forward to seeing it on my iMac 27″ whrn i return home. It would be fun to see you pick a locacation about 300 miles above the Arctic Circle and shoot it at solstice, summer and winter.
I don’t really like these. Partly they look really artificial partly it’s something new and I don’t like new things. As I’m looking at these on a computer I think I’d rather see a time lapse. Nice interview David, Thanks.
Same here — although colorful and spectacular most of these don’t speak to me. The Trafalgar Square one is an exception in the effect of all the figures of people in them that, irrationally, remind of one of Caillebotte’s paintings (Paris Stree; Rainy Day -1877). The last one, though, at Yosemite, strikes me as kitsch.
They look like ordinary stills from a game ………….at least there is stuff to do with games………. where is my Nukem Shrink Ray gun
Wow, it’s like he’s a painter of light.
I am back home and have had a chance to look at them on my iMac 27. Magical. That’s how I find them to be, some more than others – Serengeti most of all.
I really enjoyed seeing myself, my wife and my youngest daughter at the Presidential Inauguration. Oh, wait! We were there in 2009. I guess three people who look just like us went to the 2013 swearing in and stood in the exact same spot we did four years earlier.
What are the odds?
Anyway, I’m impressed!
Happy birthday BURN !!!
Happy birthday BURNIANS !!!
The sky is not the limit…Day to night or night to day , I love you All !!!
Can I sing now?
Oime…It’s gonna be a long long night …
Reporting from Grecolandia !!!
OK,happy birthday HAIK …And again, happy birth to ALL !!!
Hmmm…Can I sing now?
@civi – thank you for singing.
Happy Birthday Burn and Happy Birthday Haik!
Thank you THOMAS !!! All our love to our Berlin people …oime…I am gonna sing …yes, I will sing…Hellooooo….