Mike Sleeper
PHOTOGRAPHER
STATEMENT
My first solo gallery exhibit was titled Three Miles From Home and was hung at my local library. That title was an accurate description of the locations where I made those photographs (some are here in this portfolio) and it is generally also true of my newest work. With my imagery, I try to completely explore a certain place to find it’s essence, and as my technique evolves, so do the styles of my photographs. I draw my inspiration from late 19th century and early 20th century landscape artists, ranging from The Hudson River School paintings to Winslow Homers watercolors of the Adirondacks. Similar to painters, watercolor and pastel artists, I try to interpret the locations I photograph more than to depict them as exactly how they appeared in real life. My work reveals much about my personality and instincts, therefore the images are not just pictures of places or things, they are meant to be reflections of my experiences on location and how these places affect me. I work exclusively with film and do not employ post process techniques to enhance the original images.