About DerraldPosted by admin on March 18th, 2009
A Personal Note From Derrald
For almost as long as I remember I had a camera with me on every trip that I took. My family and I almost always went to National Parks and other natural areas and these subjects and views inspired me to capture images of everything around me. I would come back and try to explain to anyone who would listen about what I had seen, but it was the photographs I had that really showed what I had witnessed. Through this sharing process, I realized that my photos sometimes did not illicit the sense of wonder that I had experienced and I yearned to improve my photography so that my work would better visually convey the scenes. As a result, I immersed myself in improving my compositional skills, my camera techniques, and increasing my knowledge of the critters and locations I was photographing. This is a journey I never cease and I continue to strive to provide the highest quality images and experience.
I am not only a photographer, I am a husband, a son, and most importantly, a father. I have seen the stunning grandeur of a sunset across a mountain peak, the playfulness of a trio of baby foxes, and the elegance in a pattern of leaves. I want my daughters to see this world too and so it is through the efforts of my photography that I wish to promote not only the experience of the natural world, but conservation efforts to save these animals and lands as well.
Artist’s Statement
Nature is infinitely dynamic and constantly awe inspiring.
Photography allows me to experience a connection to nature that cannot be replicated in any other way. Through this connection I feel I see the world differently. From a towering mountain to a simple pine cone, I explore both the large landscape and the small intimate details.
The goal of my work is to convey the emotions of a scene just as I experience it through the colors, the shapes, and the lighting. My photographs, I believe, are most successful when the mood of the subject and location resonant throughout the composition. My images are the windows through which I share my experience with nature.
Artist’s Bio
While growing up, Derrald’s parents took him on several trips across the United States to numerous national parks. It was on these trips that Derrald grew a love for the outdoors which we wished to explore and share with others. Photography was a natural result, an endeavor that Derrald began at a young age and continued to explore in years to come.
While pursuing a Bachelors degree at Creighton University, he enrolled in all of the photography courses. With these courses he learned the fundamentals of chemical darkrooms, light, balance, and exposure. After college he continued to explore the art and develop his own technique and style and continued to choose to focus on nature and scenic photography as his primary subjects, although he is not hesitant to point the lens at anything.
Amongst the images of majestic mountains and the crashing waves of the ocean, one can find photographs of the marshes, prairies, and wetlands of the American Midwest. Some of these images are the artists’ favorites as they show the expansive heartland of the United States and the sometimes subtle beauty of the area surrounding his home. Through the right balance of subject and with dramatic light, no matter the location, Derrald strives to transport the viewer into the composition.
Derrald has won numerous awards and exhibited in several solo and group shows regionally. His work has also appeared in several magazines, calendars, websites, and postcards. In addition to nature photography, Derrald photographs real estate and architectural photographs for local realtors. He continues to live and work in Omaha with his family.
For more information on Derrald’s Photography please visit his website at http://www.journeyoflight.com.