I love the experimental side of painting, and the technical side of drawing, and I guess photography is where the two come together for me.  I am dealing with very real and literal subjects, but the way I portray them can allow for abstraction and imagination.  A photograph can tell a story, ask a question, evoke an emotion, or simply stand as a beautiful image; and I attempt to cover all four in my body of work.

Behind the viewfinder, I can focus on specific objects in a scene, taking them away from their natural context and giving them new meaning as the subject of a photograph.  Many of the objects in my photographs are of little or no importance in the real world, and would probably go unnoticed if not displaced in this way.  This ability to renew a neglected object, and discover beauty among the commonplace, is perhaps what I enjoy most about photography.

I incorporate both film and digital photography in my body of work.  For digital, I use a Nikon D50, and my photographs are printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper.  For film, I use a Nikon N60, and Holga 120N, and print on Ilford black & white fiber paper.  When using film, I shoot exclusively in black & white, and the images are usually high contrast.  In my experience, the processes of the darkroom are what make the finished product so satisfying. 

Biography

My name is Derek Speegle; I was born in 1983, and raised in the small town of Hartselle, Alabama.  I spent five and a half years at the University of Alabama in Huntsville earning my degree in Studio Art, focusing mainly on drawing and photography.  I do not have a single favorite medium to work in, as it is not so much the camera or pencil or paintbrush I enjoy, but the way in which I can channel my creativity into each, equally, and uniquely.  I now reside in Birmingham, Alabama, with my wife Magen.