My name is Austin Harvey and I explore art through photography as a means to interact with nature and my surroundings. This has been my focus in photography since I started shooting as a teenager. My interest in the natural subjects stems from my appreciation for beautiful scenery that I was deprived of as a child growing up in a dirty neighborhood in Boston. I didn’t know what I was missing until I moved to southwest Florida where year-round there are gorgeous sunsets, a plethora of blooming flora, and exciting wildlife. there is a lot of beauty in the world that is taken for granted and not appreciated which is how I feel many people see their environments. I enjoy capturing the hidden details and beauty that can be found at the beach, in the swamps, or even your backyard.
My goal is to create photos that will engage the viewer into the setting via my exaggeration of color and simple yet striking compositions. My photos exemplify a strong composition because I feel that can be the most intriguing aspect of photography by being able to manipulate where the viewer will look and what they will pay attention to. I found photography as a way to meld the vision in my head and the subjects before me in an artistic way that is expressive and true to me while is true to the scenery I am shooting. I do not modify my images too much as I want to remain grounded in reality as opposed to making mother nature out to be something she is not.
My art is important to me because with current climate trends I feel that it is crucial to capture mother nature before she is gone, not just as it is seen at face value, but to capture the beauty that we take for granted. Exploring the unique species and subjects that we share the earth with allows me to engage with and connect to nature more closely and provide that experience to others who may not appreciate the creative parts of nature the same way I see it.