Jerry Szymczak Photography

hotography, for me, is like joining pieces of a puzzle. The need to complete some larger picture is what compels me, even while the nature of the picture remains unknown.

The magic happens — the pieces fit — when an emotional thread is pulled between photographer, viewer, and subject — as tenuous but as strong as a spider's silk. The photograph then speaks on a level no other medium can mimic. It ties us to each other in a common humanity — sharing smiles, insights, promise, evocations, work, whimsy — and all the rest in between. The camera becomes the stand-in for the hundreds of thousands of neurons that involuntarily fire when we look into someone else's eyes. The photograph then becomes an instinctual meditation, like holding one's breath. Breathe in, breathe out; have a look.

Most of what follows are shots taken on recent trips to India — with a handful from Vietnam, Cambodia, Italy, Greece, and even my birthplace of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates from other destinations, including black-and-white archival prints created in my 'olde-school' darkroom. Contact me if you're interested in purchasing a signed print of a particular image.

A portion of all profits are returned to local charities in the country of origin.