The Legian, Bali copyright 1999 jon morgan

Midnight at the Oasis
Some years ago I walked into an art gallery in an urbane American city. The well-dressed, perfectly coiffed woman stood before a large color print while the photographer explained his image in a patronizing tone. "I took this picture just for you, my dear." he said. He talked endlessly about his creation, praising the good fortune of a moment captured on film, discussing every little nuance of the photograph on the wall. I listened quietly as he deconstructed his work, embarrassed by his need to explain.

Jon Morgan is a fine art photographer based in Singapore. Serendipity brought me to Morgan's web portfolio. I don't know how I got there, but I'm glad I did. He shares my discomfort with the inadequacy of words when it comes to photography.

"I’m not a great believer in lengthy explanations of creative work; if you have to talk about it a lot then there is surely something lacking in the way that the images communicate. I prefer to allow the photographs in a portfolio to speak for themselves, and for the viewer to form their own impressions and opinions. Having said that, a little anecdotal background - the places, the circumstances, the overall concept - can enhance the viewing experience."

Morgan works in portfolios - groups of images which combine to tell a story - and enhances our experience of a series taken at The Legian Hotel in Bali by sharing some of his thought processes about building the portfolio. The photographs speak for themselves.
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