End frame: Zen Shadows in Snow by Nicholas Bell

Chris Murray

Chris Murray is a full-time photographer, instructor, and writer from New York State. His photographs are not meant to be a literal document of the woods, mountains, and rivers of his home state, but rather a creative expression of his relationship with the places that ceaselessly inspire him.

chrismurrayphotography.com

When considering a photographer to honor for this feature, my thoughts initially turned to one of the icons of the last century, the giants on whose shoulders we stand. Harry Callahan, Paul Caponigro, Eliot Porter et. al., have all greatly influenced my work. But then I thought, they’re long dead (Caponigro the lone exception), what do they care? They had their time in the sun. No, better to acknowledge a peer, a contemporary, someone whose work fascinates and motivates me. It can be none other than Nicholas Bell.

I first learned of Nicholas through Instagram and was immediately enthralled. He is based in eastern Tennessee, although geography has little bearing on his work. His photography can most simply be described as minimalist. There is a Far East aesthetic to much of his work. He works completely in the black-and-white format. While most people have to learn to see in monochrome, Nicholas admits that he sees tonal contrast more naturally than in color.