I first picked up a camera as a teenager, when my father gave me a Kodak Retina he’d received from an army buddy during World War II. With it, I explored my Bronx neighborhood and discovered that the simple act of looking through the viewfinder and framing something of interest was thrilling and empowering. That early experience sparked a lifelong passion for photography.
I’ve been shaped by influences ranging from Walker Evans and Henri Cartier-Bresson to painters Edward Hopper and Edgar Degas. Like them, I’m drawn to the beauty of the ordinary and the drama of fleeting moments.
My photographs invite viewers into spaces of stillness and mystery. I often seek the abstract in everyday subjects, finding new ways to see familiar forms. Whether capturing architecture, landscapes, or the magic of twilight, I aim to balance clarity with ambiguity, encouraging viewers to see the world a little differently.
ARTHUR DROOKER
