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Life is tumultuous and uncertain, yet it’s the persistence of everyday marvel that fascinates me. One way I explore uncertainty’s gifts of surprise is through a photography-based art project, Caustic Optimism.

Using a warped-glass object to disrupt my view of ordinary backdrops, I push myself to see the upended situation with fresh eyes. From the visual chaos of the highly refracted and reflected light patterns—what physicists call caustic optics—I look for and photograph the unexpected. A garbage truck outside my window might yield an exotic tangle of tropical flowers. Two swimmers might float into view from a dusty corner of my studio, while a Group of Seven Canadian Shield materializes from tools piled on a table.

The results of this “painting with crazed light” process are rich, unique images: split-second captures of wondrous figures, places and situations as if conjured from banal settings.

I use minimal photo editing (and no PhotoShop) before having select works enlarged and printed as archival pigment prints on fine art paper. From that body of work I produce stand-alone images as well as diptychs, montages and other assemblies.

In “Nights when...,” I’ve paired two caustic optic images inspired by a quote from George Carlin. No wolves or moons were present when I took these photos—proof positive of the wealth of “there there,” marvel in every moment.

Caustic optic photography, two images paired, fine art quality archival pigment prints