Lichtenberg Figures on X-Ray Film: A Study

I arrived to photography in my late 40s carrying the baggage of a decades-long career in science. As I became more immersed in art and the ideas of meditation and practice, I heard many artists refer to creative intuition as "energy". That's a curious word for someone like me with a background in chemistry, manufacturing, statistics, quality, business, communication, etc. In the world of science, energy is a substantive natural phenomenon that can be precisely measured and harnessed in a variety of ways, quite different from the more mysterious intangible feelings of inspiration and creative play. I found that gap really compelling and decided to probe its boundaries by exploring the nature of energy on film.

This collection highlights my experiments with static electricity on X-ray film. These images are called Lichtenberg Figures, named after the German physicist Georg Lichtenberg who discovered them. It's a very simple process: A Whimhurst Machine is used to generate a static sharge and you physically place the film inside the branching spark. The pattern is created as electricity moves through the film. 

These experiments taught me that my intentions as an artist are limited. It is not my job to dominate and control the creative process. As an artist, I am closer to being a spark that engages the world in novel ways, a conduit that seeks meaningful conversation with nature, a filter that makes sense of curious phenomena with light. My only job is to experience wonder and illuminate darkness. To me, that is the energy of the creative experience.