How best to photograph a poet? The dexterity to play with language intrigues and impresses me to no end, since I’m rather challenged at decoding poems. They puzzle my mind – but I’ll keep trying. So lucky me, I got to work with Susan Wheeler, Alicia Ostriker, Carlos Hernandez, Ellen Foos, Mark Doty and Timothy Donnelly – I hope I captured their image in a way they like. Environmental elements become clues that hopefully help tell the story of the subject. Obvious vs. obtuse. As a photographer I aspire to understand space, as well as color and light.

I’ve heard a good idea is bad idea at the wrong time. This assignment could have been that with the amount of ‘ions in this fire’. Ions, not irons. That was a poetic attempt. A photographer should the edit space as does a poet. Add in editors, publishers and designers – and the space can change. Ionic, not ironic. That was another attempt. Perhaps I haven’t learned enough about id, ego and super ego – and should stick to taking pictures instead of writing.