Thursday, March 27, 2008

William Dohman - World-Class Architect And Photographer

William Dohman, architect and worldwide traveler, makes his creations from photos taken from India, Japan, Holland, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Greece and Spain. He fell in love with photography while traveling around the world, studying architecture.

India, Japan, and the Netherlands were so unlike his West St. Paul roots which compelled him to document everything he saw, from kite strings to street life, broken playgrounds to the Taj Mahal. India was the first time he used a manual camera, and he was hooked—through trips to the Netherlands (where he studied at TU Delft) and surrounding countries, as well as a post-grad study of Japanese architecture.

His obsessive snapping prompted his fellow travelers to remark that they didn't really know what he looked like, given his face was constantly behind the camera. William finds his most striking images are ones of everyday life, objects, and hidden details—not the classically beautiful ones perpetuated by the media, but rather the ones most people tend to overlook. He frames them with his lens for examination, most often finding that the everyday people, places, and remnants are what truly express the life within a culture.

Always the architect, William could not sketch quickly enough to capture it all, so he was lured to photography. He shares, "Too many Americans are quick to assume that the United States is the best county, many of whom have not even left their respective state borders. I show these photos to encourage others to travel the world and become aware of dissimilar cultures."

When he is not traveling, he finds new things to create. " If I am not doing photography or architecture, I am either painting or drawing. I have also taken up road bicycling. I find it a great way to sort my ideas and thoughts while getting a great workout and exploring the city I live in."
The impact he wants his creations to have on others is the desire for everyone to list the ten places they want to visit before they die and actually try and plan them. It is a lot easier and cheaper than a lot of people think!

Origami Strands Retail $25
In Japan, tradition states that if you fold 1000 origami cranes, it will bring you good health and good luck. When someone is suffering from a severe sickness or injury, spouses, parents, children and other family members and friends would fold 1000 cranes to wish for the person's recovery. The paper crane has become an international symbol of piece through the work of a young girl named Sadako Sasaki and her battle with leukemia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_Sasaki

Retail value: $25


Website: http://www.williamdohman.etsy.com/

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