Cloudscape I

Many years ago Edward Asher was inspired by reading the book, “Zen in the Art of Photography.” He discovered that meditation and the practice of mindfulness improved his talents as a photographer. Being fully absorbed in creating a photograph means thinking of nothing else at that moment but composition, clarity, and order in the frame. Photography, for Asher, is a path to a heightened present moment of awareness and a zen-like approach of seeing and observing the beauty of the world through the lens of his camera. Choosing to shoot in black and white film, rather than the quick and easy methods of digital photography, is an intentional way to slow down the process of making a photograph. Film photography is labor intensive. To capture that decisive moment, the process cannot be rushed. In truth, Asher enjoys each step of creating a photograph from shooting to printing and finds it all cultivates his patience. Each step of the process forces a realization that the journey is the destination. The photograph is a record of the journey. Asher’s ultimate goal is that his work brings every viewer the happiness, peace, and contentment that he experiences while creating each photograph.