PNG 1, 2006
PNG 2, 2006
PNG 3, 2006
PNG 4, 2006
Biography
Brian M. Hodges has pursued his passion of photography, traveling the world and capturing images in more than 50 countries. He has lived ten years in France, and nealry two years in Central America. Hodges comes to photography from a technical background; he holds a software engineering degree and worked with telecommunication systems for fifteen years. Seeking an artistic outlet (and another career direction), he recently converted his lifelong passion of photography into his profession. His photographs have since been featured in numerous catalogs and magazines. Recent publications include GEO Magazine, ELLE France, InStyle, California Home, C Magaznie, and Santa Barbara Magazine.
Brian currently splits his time between Santa Barbara and Mexico with his wife and three children.
Artist Satement
My travels serve to promote cultural awareness, and foster a deep appreciation for indigenous style. My camera is merely a tool, allowing me to collaborate with subjects in a way I would have never imagined possible. This experience has proven immensely enriching.
My work deals with humanity. By visually isolating my subjects from cultural context with the use of a featureless background, I hope to remind the viewer that we are all members of the same extended family - each one of us as full of beauty and dignity as the next. "
Field Notes from Papua New Guinea:
"On special occasions, tribal groups gather to participate in a cultural fesival known as a "Sing Sing". These gatherings aim to peacefully share traditions among the diverse and occasionally waring tribes. The "Sing Sing" provides a forum for the indigenous people to showcase their traditional costume and music.
These photos were taken over the course of three weeks in September 2006. Traveling with my white photo backdrop, I set up as small daylight field studio at two different events - one in the Eastern Highlands Province town of Goroka, and one in the Madang Province town of Simbai. The esthetic values of the Papua New Guinea highland tribes remain largely unadulterated by external influences, an increasingly rare sight in today's connected world.
Curriculum Vitae
2009 "4x5", Frank Pictures Gallery, Santa Moncia, CA
