Featured Photographer: Matthew Ragen - If They Have Eyes, Can They See?
Together Forever
While walking alone through the backcountry of the Cascade Mountains making photographs, Matthew Ragen stands as a modern alchemist, blending the ancient with the contemporary, the tangible with the ethereal. Born in the bustling heart of New York City but raised amidst the lush landscapes of Seattle, Ragen's journey through photography mirrors the dichotomy of his upbringing—a fusion of urban intensity and natural tranquility.
Ragen's journey of creative pursuits was not an immediate, all-encompassing passion. Rather, it was a gradual, meandering path that led him to the captivating world of photography. In his early years, amidst the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets of New York, photography was merely a passing interest—a fleeting diversion from the rigors of academia and the demands of everyday life. Yet, as life unfolded and his career in the technology sector burgeoned, Ragen found himself drawn back to the allure of the photographic medium.
The Crack
Mother and Child
It was in the early 2000s, amid the dawn of the digital age, that Ragen's fascination with photography was rekindled. Armed with a Canon 10D, he was led into the world of digital imagery, navigating the labyrinthine corridors of Photoshop to breathe life into his captured moments. Yet, as thousands of digital images accumulated over the years, Ragen yearned for a more contemplative approach to his art. It was not long before the allure of film beckoned—a siren call to the bygone era of analog craftsmanship. In a world enamored with pixels and screens, Ragen's decision to embrace the arcane rituals of film photography may seem antiquated to some. Yet, for him, it was a deliberate choice—a conscious retreat from the frenetic pace of the digital age. Armed with a Pentax 6x7, Ragen traversed back in time—a pilgrimage to the shrine of traditional photography.
What sets Ragen apart is his unwavering dedication to traditional printing techniques. Drawing inspiration from his great aunt, a pioneering photographer in 1920s Prague, Ragen delves into historic processes such as platinum/palladium, cyanotype, gum bichromate printing, and that which we are showing here—gelatin silver printing. Each print is imbued with a palpable sense of craftsmanship, a testament to Ragen's reverence for the art form. Today, Ragen's artistic arsenal boasts an impressive array of cameras, from large format Ebony beauties to sleek Fuji digital counterparts. His methodical approach to image-making encompasses both spontaneity and strict planning, with each frame meticulously crafted to convey his artistic vision.
Desolate Landscape
Ragen's body of work, If They Have Eyes, Can They See?, is a hauntingly beautiful series that documents the transient essence of nature's cyclical pattern. Here, amidst the remnants of ancient forests, Ragen discovers a silent symphony—a chorus of tree stumps bearing witness to the inexorable march of time. A passage from his artist statement explains, “At Keechelus Lake near Snoqualmie Pass, the old-growth forests were clear-cut in 1917 when the headwaters of the Yakima River were dammed. As the loggers cut down the huge trees, they carved notches into the trunks, inserted a springboard into the holes, and then stood on the board to cut down the trees. Today, in the summer, when the reservoirs of the Pacific Northwest slowly empty, remnants of ancient forests rise from the deep. The icy cold water from the winter’s snow has preserved the remains of these old-growth trees.”
In these hallowed groves, where the echoes of bygone eras linger amidst the dappled sunlight and whispering breezes, Ragen finds solace and inspiration. With his camera as his conduit, he seeks to immortalize the timeless allure of these sentinels—silent guardians of a forgotten epoch.
Yet, Ragen's endeavors transcend the confines of traditionalism, as he now embraces the symbiotic relationship between the analog and the digital. Taking his technical knowledge and transforming his photographs into digital negatives, he then embraces the old ways and crafts gelatin silver prints in the wet darkroom to honor the trees he has so fervently captured.
For Matthew Ragen, photography is more than mere art—it is a sacred quest—a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. Through his lens, he invites us to glimpse the world through his eyes—to see beyond the veil of illusion and discover the beauty that lies hidden within the mundane. In a world fraught with chaos and uncertainty, his images serve as beacons—a testament to the enduring power of beauty and truth in an ever-changing world.
Veil of Roots
GALLERY
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Matthew Ragen is attracted to photographic scenes that allow him to impose order on chaos, thereby crafting images with strong visual and graphic impact. He enjoys composing photos where light and shadows merge into a cohesive composition that mirrors his perceptions and emotions. At the end of a photography session, he carefully selects images that display leading lines, abstract or natural patterns, and simplicity, bringing a consistent quality to his work.
His approach is heavily influenced by his personal and professional experiences. As the oldest son in a lineage of eldest sons, he was raised under high expectations, both academically and athletically, and was encouraged to excel and innovate. This drive for excellence permeates his photography.
Ragen is also an engineer, trained to understand mechanisms and create designs with minimal imperfections. Professionally, he applies these skills as a product manager, where he deeply explores customer needs and identifies market opportunities, always striving to enhance product quality. These high standards similarly elevate his photographic work.
He primarily produces prints in a darkroom, favoring handcrafted prints through historical processes like bromoil, gumoil, cyanotype, platinum, palladium, kallitype, and salt prints. His engineering background enables him to refine these techniques for consistent tone delivery. However, he values the imperfections these methods introduce, such as uneven borders and varied textures, which contribute uniquely to his well-composed starting images. Even the failures often lead to unexpectedly delightful results.
Ragen has served as the board chair for the Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW) in Seattle, a non-profit educational organization promoting photographic creation and dialogue. PCNW provides resources like computer labs, printers, a community darkroom, and a gallery space. Additionally, he chaired the board for Bridges To Understanding, a non-profit focused on digital storytelling to foster intercultural connections through photography.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Kirchoff is a photographic artist, independent curator and juror, and advocate for the photographic arts. He has been a juror for Photolucida’s Critical Mass, and has reviewed portfolios for several fine art photographic organizations and non-profits in the U.S. and abroad. Michael has been a contributing writer for Lenscratch, Light Leaked, and Don’t Take Pictures magazine. In addition, he spent ten years (2006-2016) on the Board of the American Photographic Artists in Los Angeles (APA/LA), producing artist lectures, as well as business and inspirational events for the community. Currently, he is Editor-in-Chief at Analog Forever Magazine, Founding Editor for the photographer interview site, Catalyst: Interviews, Contributing Editor at One Twelve Publishing, and the Co-Host of The Diffusion Tapes podcast.
Connect with Michael Kirchoff on his Website and Instagram!
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