Kairos

Examples of books that have been self-published by authors or teachers, usually to the Apple Books store, or to Book Creator's own online publishing.

Self-published books

THE PUDDLES WERE LAKES, MISSISSAUGA, 2014

NIAGARA IN SNOW PANORAMA, NIAGARA FALLS, 2012

REACHING THROUGH THE SNOW, BRAMPTON, 2013

WATER DROPS ON A SHAMROCK, BRAMPTON, 2013

BRIGHT LIGHTS &amp; THE BIG CITY, TORONTO, 2011

FALL FLOOR AROUND WABUKAYNE, MISSISSAUGA, 2012

LAST SHOT FROM STURGEON LAKE, CAMERON, 2011

RAILING SHADOW IN SNOW, MISSISSAUGA, 2013

A WINDOW IN THE CONCRETE, MISSISSAUGA, 2013

FIRST RAINBOW OF THE YEAR, MISSISSAUGA, 2014

In 2012, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Since then, I have pledged to donate all proceeds from my photographic work to the MS Society. This book is being offered for free in the hopes that you will help find a cure for the millions of us living around the world living with MS by donating to the MS Society at www.mssociety.ca. Thank you so much for downloading this book. Christian

CHRISTIAN PLAYING GUITAR WITH SON, 2013, BY MARINA STOJANOVIC

TREE AND SUN IN MUDDY POOL, BRAMPTON, 2014

TREE SHADOW IN FALL, NO. 1, MISSISSAUGA, 2012

My interest in photography began as a child, though it wasn't until my mid-twenties that I began to use the medium for artistic purposes. I remember on many occasions, on days when there wasn't much to do, I would go to our family room and look through photo albums. It was the story of my life and that of my family. Indeed, since I began digitizing the old family photos a few years ago, a whole new understanding of my family and the personalities found within has emerged. In 2004 I was in a state of limbo when it came to artistic output. For much of my life I have been involved in some sort of artistic pursuit, and beginning in 1996 the focus was music. However, in February 2004 I played my last show, knowing that it simply wasn't feasible to expect to make a living with this art form. Beyond that, I had become frustrated with the business side of music, so much so that when I put down my guitar, I didn't pick it up for a long time. Over the next 6 months there was an artistic drought, until the thought of picking up a camera popped into my head. At that point I hadn't really thought of photography from an artistic point of view. To me, it had always been about capturing moments of my family's life and aiding memory. Both my Brother and Father were into the medium, and after some discussion my Dad sent me his old 35mm Pentax Spotmatic, the camera that captured the first images of me after my birth. After running my first roll of film through it, I was hooked. During this time I worked at a book store, and upon walking over to the "Photography" section, I discovered the work of Ansel Adams. His photographs did exactly what he had intended (though I didn't know his intention at the time), which was that they evoked an emotional response and connection in me to the landscape. I fell in love with his work, and that of his contemporaries. Many of today's photographers are trying to push the envelope and create new types of images. With iPhones and filters, the line between photography and graphic art is being blurred. For better or worse, my approach is different. My photographic work is intended to carry on the classic tradition set in motion by the nature and landscape photographers of the early and mid-twentieth century. Just as cultures would pass down stories and traditions through oral language, I am carrying on with the approach of my photographic idols (though, in a digital format). That doesn't mean I'm "imitating" their work, or even think of myself working at their level of expertise. Rather, my work is based on their vision of a clean, pure image with manipulation done to evoke emotion rather than simply make a "pretty picture". That's the goal, anyway. That also doesn't mean I avoid experimentation either, but it is the foundation upon which I base my work. Of all the artistic media I've been involved with during my life, it is photography that I am the most passionate about. I have thought a lot about why that is the case, and I think it comes down to the feelings I had as a child looking through the family photo albums. The images I make have two purposes: One is that there was something I saw that evoked an emotional response in me, and with the camera I am trying to capture that "feeling" so that others may enjoy it. The other is that these photographs are the continuation of the "story of my life". With all of the images I have made, I can recall the day, the circumstances of my life when I made the image, the weather that day, and of course how I felt at that moment. I remember them all. In essence, my photography is about living, enjoying, and reflecting on life, through an approach that has been passed down from the giants whose shoulders I stand upon. With that in mind, in 2012 my photographic work took on another level of meaning. It was in December of that year that I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, after 7 months of testing. In January of 2013, I decided to begin the year, and indeed the rest of my life, with a new goal: All the proceeds that I raise from my photographic pursuits would be donated to the MS Society. At the time of this writing (July, 2014), with the help of many friends and family, and combined with other fundraising efforts, we have raised nearly $10,000. I have pledged to do this until a cure is found, because a cure is far more valuable than any monetary compensation I may receive from my art. This book is being offered for free in the hopes that all of you will send a donation to the MS Society at www.mssociety.ca.

Above image taken by Christian, while photographing the ice storm in December, 2013

PURPLE FLOWERS IN THE SUN, BRAMPTON, 2013

AUTUMN: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, BRAMPTON, 2012

DANDELION, UP CLOSE, NO. 1, BRAMPTON, 2013

A term that has been coined in the past couple of years is, "iPhoneography", or taking pictures with one's iPhone for the purpose of creating art. While this book is made up entirely of images I have made on my iPhone, I hesitate to use the term. Think of classic photography. Ansel Adams never made "Large Formatography", nor did Henri Cartier-Bresson create "Leicaography". The tool was irrelevant to their work with regards to the name of what they created. They were making photographs. I feel that highlighting the tool when creating photographs, such as with iPhoneography, moves the audience away from a place where deeper meaning may be attained from an image, and puts them in a mindset of awe over the iPhone's ability to create nice images. Dialogue moves away from discussing how a photograph makes one feel and moves towards discussing megapixels and phone camera sensors. It's irrelevant. Yet it is relevant to the notion of Kairos, a classical Greek term meaning the opportune time or place. In fact, I will submit that 90%, if not more, of the images contained within this book would have never been made if it weren't for my iPhone's consistent presence in my pocket. I certainly wouldn't carry my DSLR all day, every day. So in this regard, having a tool with you when you encounter Kairos is extremely relevant. What you will notice throughout this book is that I try to steer clear of iPhone "filters". The old, weathered look that is popular right now has a place, and indeed a few of the images contained within have filters placed on them, but I approach images made with this tool the same way I approach all of my fine art work. I try to let the photographs stand on their own merit, without gimmicks. The bottom line is that these photographs are just that, and the method used to capture them is only relevant when discussing the notion of Kairos. Christian Stepien July, 2014

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