Poetograph: a medium of artistic expression that blends poetry and photography
First published in The Study of Light, on Substack, on February 10, 2026
I make many photographs. Sometimes thousands in a day. But poems, they come at the rate of two or six a year. They come slowly and organically, because they insist on it, and they are very patient. “So long as you let me out, just take your time.” Like that.
When I first made a poetograph, I wanted to make it internet-unfriendly, such that you could not view it properly on any screen. The photo is large. The type is small.
The best way to view the piece is stand before a large print, hanging on a wall, and come in close, to read the words. Stand back, see the photo, step up, read the words. Back and forth, like breathing.
I could not just walk past something like this. I would read every word and seek all the meaning I could find in the juxtaposition with an image. I found out, however, that that’s just me. When I hung a few of these, people I observed rarely took the time. So I will share my image here, and if you look closely, you’ll see the words. But I will share the words separately, since not everyone looks at something in the way I do.
