David Aimone
Photographer and Print Maker
David Aimone, an artistic alchemist, transcends perfection through alternative methods, unveiling nuanced narratives that unfold like carefully composed symphonies in each meticulously crafted photograph. Each holds a subtle, silent power.
About David
David resides in Saratoga Springs, NY
David Aimone, an American photographer, seamlessly intertwines the principles of pictorialists with modern expression, marking the convergence of artistic tradition and contemporary vision. Raised in a family steeped in musical and artistic influences, David's artistic odyssey started in his youth as a member of the Ridgewood Camera Club.
​
Embarking on the exploration of large-format film post-college, David's self-guided journey mirrored an independent study master's degree, allowing him the freedom to experiment with diverse techniques and cultivate a distinctive style.
​
At the core of David's photographic exploration is a therapeutic quest for imperfections, a deliberate departure from mainstream ideals. Themes of ephemeral states, beauty, and imperfections saturate his work, inspired by the rebellious spirit of pictorialists challenging the relentless pursuit of photographic perfection. David also draws inspiration from art that balances simplicity with layers of complexity.
​
The essence of his work extends an invitation to viewers to transcend their ordinary visual norms, discovering beauty in new ways and crafting personal narratives from the images. It is an opportunity to redefine societal and personal notions of beauty and perfection. This process involves peeling away layers of perfection in the presented photos.
​
In his artistic process, David finds many "aha!" moments, whether the subject takes form on a ground glass, negatives emerge from the developer, or a print comes to life through various development stages.
Armed primarily with medium and large-format film, David meticulously develops his creations in a home darkroom. His portfolio includes traditional silver gelatin prints, showcasing his commitment to both time-honored techniques and innovative processes—analogue/digital fusion. Hand-coated emulsions and alternative printing techniques underscore his artistic versatility.
​
David's artistic journey has garnered recognition, with notable achievements such as a solo show at the SOHO Photo Gallery in New York City, a featured spotlight in Model Society, acknowledgment from various institutions, and coverage in major magazines.
Statement
I use a variety of alternative and experimental methods to capture and present a subject in a different way, allowing/provoking the viewer to go beyond that which is obvious at first glance. These methods steer the viewer away from the perceived perfection of modern photographic techniques, which in their own way prevent the viewer from seeing below the idealized surface of the subject. Going beyond, the result is a more deeply satisfying and illuminating experience through the viewers’ own perceptions, allowing them to find the meaning, emotion and unexpected revelations within the image.
Each alternative and experimental method is a tool to produce a range of alternative representations for the image.
​
Modern photographic techniques, often considered as reaching a “perfection”, provide a literal and intellectual understanding of the presented subject. By using alternative and experimental methods, the viewer AND the artist can find an intangible, indirect, artful story beyond the literal and perfect. I strive to present that which cannot be rendered merely through intellectually and technically perfect narrative stories.
​
Methods used for capture and presentation are part of the continuum of tools for making my images. They are one process, allowing a range of re-presentations for viewer interpretation. While each method individually may seem simple within itself, the totality of the process becomes inexplicably and mysteriously complex compared to computerized, algorithmic photography.
​
Often when working with these methods, and at different stages along the way, there are many “aha!” moments. These moments can be as the subject takes form on a ground glass, as the negatives are pulled from the developer, as a print comes to life through the stages of development, just to describe a few examples. Rarely when using editing tools on the computer do these “aha!” moments appear.
