What began as a teenager's occasional interest in photography evolved to become an integral part of my life. My work is predominantly black and white, shot with film and processed completely by my husband, Frank Yezer, and me in our Austin studio. I enjoy visually studying people and places and like the creative expression photography allows while doing this. Photography permits me to capture the essence of a place and catch people living their lives, giving importance to a moment we might otherwise overlook.

The images in this body of work focus more on places. And, though some were taken near and others afar, they are all places which give me a sense of home – past or present.

• Icker reminds me of where I grew up at the edge of a metropolitan suburb, down the road from barns and cornfields.
• The Reader is more likely found where I live now, in a city with public spaces and events.

Dappled light filtering through trees on a bright, sunny day always intrigues me. It produces dramatic effects, often spotlighting an element in the scene.

• Alfresco Dining shows people enjoying both the sun and shade at an outdoor café, the sun so bright you have to squint to see and producing an almost ethereal glow around everything.
• Sign in Arles shows a graphic element in nature against a graphic element of civilization.

I create my work to connect on a personal level so the viewer can move through life with me, going between documentary and drama, often encountering a bit of nostalgia or humor. Church?/Temple? is an older, traditional structure with a steeple, a weather vane that says Christians, a window with the Star of David in it and a dramatic sky as its background.

In my mind’s eye, I seek beauty in my every-day encounters – people having coffee, a child playing, a broken-down car, a walk on the beach, or the ordered clutter of a tourist “service.” When I look hard enough, I find something new. Using discretion and timing, I can direct the image to document the moment and convey emotions to the viewer.

• Straightforward instruction emerges as an abstract image in Sign In Arles. By its simplicity, it stimulates the viewer’s thoughts and feelings.
• On the other hand, STOP is a more complex image, which examines the subject in more detail, perhaps recalling something personal for the viewer or a bygone era. Its elements complement each other and do not compete for the spotlight.

When I am out shooting, anything can happen. It’s this serendipity and the sense of magic it brings that give me such joy in photography, both when I’m capturing the image and printing it.