Discovering Your Unique Persistence of Vision

I made this image in 1969 when I was in high school. Being a poor school kid, I could not afford to play with ICM much, as each exposure was an expensive experiment back during the film days. There was no way to preview the image or have much of an idea of exposure or the patterns that would be formed. While I dabbled in ICM all those years ago, I felt like the images were “just something I made for my light show,” and I never appreciated that my technique could be refined, presented and recognized as a legitimate abstract art form.

While I thought my images were interesting and dynamic abstracts, most people didn’t seem to know what to make of them. I often wonder what might have come of my work if I had been encouraged to pursue developing my technique and presenting it as “real art”, instead of feeling that the images were just a quirky experiment. It’s been wonderful to have these time capsules from my past, to remind me of where and who I’ve been, the journey I’ve been on, and to connect with my eighteen year old self.

As you look through the many photographs you have created, look for your own Persistence of Vision – what threads of continuity do you see in your work, in subject, style, mood, technique. Follow these threads by continually exercising your own, unique Persistence of Vision.