Strange Light is a selection of street photographs that I have taken while traveling.  These photos aren’t meant to have the finality of a postcard.  A postcard of Mount Rushmore is just that.  It announces, “This is Mount Rushmore,” and nothing else. 

In these photos there is something amiss or something implied beyond the image.

A young girl kneels amidst crosses and coffins that extend infinitely outside the frame.  A skinny young boy throws a ball to some unknown person, while a wave creeps in behind him.  One strange white umbrella stands out like a beacon on a grey New York day. 

I want the images to create an atmosphere of beautiful vagueness, like a haiku or koan. I want the images to be suggestive, to not just be an end unto themselves, but question marks or commas leading to other narratives.

I want them to haunt you, to invite you to take a second look and wonder what is going on.  Who does the girl weep for?  What is the person with the brush painting? Is he erasing or is he adding?  Is the water falling or passing beneath your feet?

These images are little treasures that I’ve found in everyday life.  They are “in between moments” plucked out of their natural progression and examined closely, revealing that there is something more beneath the surface.

About the Photographer:

Russ Roca is a local Long Beach fine art and portrait photographer. He has participated in several group shows within the Arts District and had a solo show at Koo's Art Center in March 2004. Russ Roca is also a contributing photographer to the local Downtown and Grunion Gazette. Despite the vast move to digital photography, he still uses traditional wet darkroom techniques for his fine art work. All prints are made by hand and are signed and numbered on verso.