I’ve been interested in images that alter reality ever since I saw a painting by René Magritte as a young boy. I love the way Magritte reinterprets things. I guess it’s philosophical. I always wanted to be able to create photographs that questioned reality, as Magritte did with his paintings.
I created these photographs using an app called DXP. The process reminds me of solarization, a darkroom process that I pursued when I was new to photography. The process involves creating a very high contrast image and reversing some elements from positive to negative. The app also creates dreamlike colors, which I can see immediately after taking the photograph.
Each photograph is made up of two or more overlapping images, which are multiple exposures. Seeing two layers of overlapping images forces the viewer to study the dreamlike image that occurs as a result of this blend.
DXP creates blends that cannot be seen or imagined until the app creates it. It reverses elements of the image in unexpected ways. For the photographer, it involves an element of chance. While some people might find this a drawback, I actually enjoy processes where it is not possible to be in full control of the image. Chance elements are an important part of making photographs for me.
