Meet Lee Moses | Art Photography from A Maverick

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lee Moses and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lee, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Pennsylvania, city of Philadelphia. Leaving my city of birth to relocate to California, thousands of miles to the west, was a leap of faith. Staying put to what was familiar would definitely be worse than risking failure somewhere else. Imagine a closed door, light beams leaking through the gaps dimly illuminating a room that has become the corral of frustration and discontent. I know what is possible within that light. Everything there inspires me to seek something better. That something does not exist on this side of that door. Philly was/is a tough town, seldom forgiving but always coiled to launch a valuable lesson of survival. Some neighborhoods, mine in particular, never bore the fruits capitalism, instead cultivated varying degrees of frustration. For me however this environment became the fertilizer from which optimism, determination, perseverance, and defiance grows.

On the other side I found a different environment, pleasantly alien in some ways, mostly enlightening in others. Here one works as a means to enjoy where they are, contrary to working only as a means to survive. I must admit that having to traverse a rough road prepared me to manage any speed bumps ahead. There surely would be a few, but perseverance prevails when motivation outweighs the return to the dread. Some pain must be endured to truly appreciate the arrival of contentment.

It took time to adjust to this new place. Not just the physical location. The mental adjustment, the monetary accounting necessary to remain on this side of the door, the time to assimilate into a new normal, all of this was the process of decompression into a different atmosphere. I was not yet ready to transpose my photographic skills to this new visual canvas. That would be twenty five years later.

Nothing worthwhile comes quick or is easy. I remember this quote from Henry Miller: “In this age which believes there is a shortcut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.”

Only a few of us will make a living doing what we love to do, rather we settle for doing what we must. This is survival, not whining about the unfairness of this world, but instead using our pliable skills to find a way. I have reached that goal. I am privileged to being the captain of my vessel. I am the ink that flows through my own pen. My cameras record what my subconscious interprets. My mission is to extract mystery from the ordinary. I refuse to follow the paths of others. I have a different voice, a different view. The only challenge left for me is to pursue my photographic journey in the time that is left.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
After tech school I was employed as a drafter, working in the electrical wiring group of a switchgear power company. It was a new environment for me. There was much to learn, focused discipline was top of the list. I noticed how most of the guys at their table were engrossed with their designs as if the job was what defined who there were. Perhaps they truly loved what they did.

For me it was different. This was a job, a means to an end. I was grateful to be there, but the mission was to move on at some point in time. Eventually that time came and I was accepted into the Architectural & Engineering department for the City of Philadelphia. This was a more interesting experience. I participated in field surveys collecting information to be used in authoring scopes of work for bidding purposes. Since my day was not locked to a desk there was less chance of becoming bored with a repetitive task. The best part of that job was my opportunity to use my photography skills while on field surveys.

Eventually there came the need to open a new door which leads to relocating in Southern California. I was then employed with an engineering and construction company. Two years into this job an executive decision was made to convert all design drafting processes into a computer aided design protocol. A CAD department was created and I got in at the start of that wave. This was to become a huge paradigm shift for me. Eventually I became one of the principle trainers for CAD which lasted for thirteen years.

Nothing is everlasting. The business environment changed which lead to layoffs and then the shutdown of the regional office. We were offered new positions at the world headquarters but I did not want to leave Southern California after working so hard to establish roots. So, the next task became finding employment which was difficult because my skill set had become quite specialized.
I freelanced as a trainer and tech support specialist for more than year, and then landed in another engineering company. My assigned task was to convert their software usage accounting functions from UNIX to a Windows environment.
Years later I was laid off again. It was a hard reality to accept. I decided to go back to school. That helped to pad my resume and I was rehired back into the company that laid me off. This marry-go-round of events became the pathway for me to escape this corporate gauntlet and pave a new path into photography. Finally my compass was pointing were my true destiny was to be.

I am now retired, financially stable due to perseverance and discipline thanks to my Mother. My photographic path is thanks to my Father. As for my art, I do what I want, how I want, and when I want. Occasionally there is some monetary gain but my true reward is self fulfillment.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I live in the desert. This will sound a bit odd, but there is a great sushi restaurant in my neighborhood. A close friend of mine enjoys the place every time he comes out to visit.

As for places to explore for photography there is a living ghost town, Randsburg that used to be part of an active mining operation. I met the owner of an art gallery there. He was impressed by my work, and offered to display it. A good number of my prints sold from his business. The gallery closed, he moved out of state, but we remain close friends to this day. Another location is Lone Pine. Many movies and commercials are shot out there. The Trona Pinnacles is another otherworldly place to capture abstract images.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow, you are asking me to step into a time machine. A start would be my parents. Both nurtured by example. My dad was a multifaceted man. He was a trained cabinet maker who later started a construction business. He also had many interests which fulfilled his life, photography being one of them. He was the spark that ignited my interest. My mom taught me patience, perseverance and how to save money. Next would be my boss from my first real job in Philly at the Municipal Services Building. His name was Leonard Tapper, Electrical Engineer. I learned much from him regarding the preparation protocols of preparing documents and design drawings for bidding purposes, used to support the maintenance of all city buildings, including prisons.

But we are here to talk about photography, so there is Michael Kenna, Fan Ho, and others. I am not much into namedropping. It is more about the work than the name behind the work. I do not do this for monetary gain. Particular images motivate me. They do not have to be photos. Abstract paintings motivate me. One painter in particular fascinates me. His name is George Rowlett. His work has helped accelerate my transition to abstract photography.

In this life, none of us are ever complete. We are the accumulation of everything that has happened to us over time, up to this point. Tomorrow I shall be a bit different than who I am today. I choose to think of it as continuous improvement. My motivation is to leave this life knowing that I have attempted to accomplish more positive effects and not to accelerate the negative. My photographic art brings me peace of mind. In that mental state I am able to continue forward, and hopefully bring some goodness with me.

Website: https://lee-moses.wixsite.com/art-photography

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUxz4ailObynWlO7ZST5ZoCw