Artist Statement

frag-ile [fraj-uhl; Brit. fraj-ahyl] Pronunciation Key – adjective
1. easily broken, shattered, or damaged; delicate; brittle; frail

I am a photographer from Toronto, Ontario Canada and specialize in digital black and white photography. I have a portfolio that spans from my years of living in Halifax, Nova Scotia – Peterborough, Ontario and my recent canvas has been the great city of Toronto, Ontario.

I am influenced by the effects of light and shadows and its interaction with the scene before me. That inspired feeling has lead me to my fondness of black and white imagery. It has been a constant challenge and dedication to commit to only releasing black and white photographs but extraordinarily rewarding when I see the photo come to life as I envisioned it before releasing the shutter.

Being a photographer has given me a precious gift of finally slowing down to see everything and look beyond the obvious. Now that I slowly move through my environments I get to appreciate the world and everything that I would never see otherwise.

A couple of years ago I coined the term “I view love through fragile glass” and was referencing my portrait, commercial and wedding clients allowing me the freedom to experiment with shooting projects and push me harder. Now more than a couple of years later I realize how much more important that phrase would become in presenting my photographic art portfolio.

It is true that my lenses are fragile but so are the subjects, environments and people that I have captured over the years. From the delicate tears of a Bride and Groom’s first dance, documenting the arrival of a newborn’s smile to those who are no longer with us. Environmental landscapes are constantly evolving and no exception to the changes seen by the lens.

In fractions of seconds I capture a single moment, in days, weeks and years my subject may no longer be present for all to enjoy as I had when I pressed the shutter. I was lucky enough to capture an amazing image of some trees for my (Toronto Foggy Beach Split Tone Series) that seemed to grow from the boardwalks and recently revisited the area only to find that the boardwalk had been badly destroyed during a flood mid summer. The boardwalk is no longer there and the trees now appear to grow naturally from the beach sand. Still glorious but not as magical as the moment I was fortunate enough to capture.

I hope you enjoy my moments with the fragile subjects that I am fortunate to capture as Fragile Glass is dedicated to all that have stood before my lenses and all of the great landscape environments that I have been able to capture.

Cheers,

Derek Shanks

Phone: [416]561-0799
dbshanks@rogers.blackberry.net
Myspace