Artist's Statement

Photography is not just a form of art. It is not just a hobby, or a profession. Photography is a way to see the world. Or more directly the impetus behind being a photographer, for me anyway, is seeing the world through a lens even when the camera is not there.

A great picture can be taken with any piece of photographic equipment. The newest technology allows for easier post production and larger prints from digital origins. But the image itself, the beauty that can be captured in that photographic rectangle, comes from a deep passion within the artist—not from the technology behind the shutter release. I feel my work is inspired by a passion for the world around me. Not just the pretty people or the colorful landscapes, but every single detail.

In the grand scheme of everything we as humans know and are aware of, this planet we inhabit is an unbelievably marvelous environment and one that should not be taken for granted in any way. Beauty exits in a rusty bolt as much as it lives in young lovers gazing into each other's eyes while standing on the top of the world. The passion helps find these moments.

And sometimes when I am lucky enough, the camera is indeed between that which I see out there, and that which I feel inside.

- Ryan Lee