the photography of troy moth

photo from shari and mike

this man. troy moth. dream. born in a tree-planting camp on the west coast of canada, he began his life in a tent guarded by dogs. as such, from day 1, he was immersed in the stunning beauty that is canada - that perhaps some of us don't see or pay attention to often enough. eventually, he left home, travelling to toronto first for school, and then as assistant to photographer hasnain dattu. he has attributed his step outside of traditional commercial photography to dattu - the ability to 'step outside the box' (as cliche as it may sound), and work beyond the rules of conventional photography. in looking to dattu's work, it is so plain to see the influence that he had on moth, and moth's perspective of the face, the body, and reflecting a person most truthfully.
then, moth ventured to india, where he spent a large portion of this time in fashion photography (of all things) - photographing for bazaar, vogue, rolling stone, and other huge international names in editorial photography.

photo from jessica jean myers

and while fashion wasn't his final stop, he was good at it. most wonderfully, his fashion work reflected (and still reflects, when he does it) so heavily the subject's natural tendencies - so bare, aesthetically raw. in looking back at his work during that time, it's so analogous to his more recent work of animals, humans and the woods, in their most real and basic state. perhaps it was this focus and draw that brought him back to where he began - the woods. he made a life changing decision to move back to western canada, and focus his work on conveying his respect for the nature he grew up in, and the nature that remained close to his heart throughout his travels. though the jump from [fashion to nature // mumbai & toronto to a cabin in vancouver] seems to most like a jump from one end of the spectrum to the next, it's a step that any human can understand - a longing for solitude and simplicity, following a frenzy in two of the world's largest cities, surround by people. 

moth has said, 'I was definitely longing for the solitude only nature can give. I no longer look at the forest or the ocean as just a forest and ocean, they now feel apart of me. The woods are my home.' (mason studio interview)

now, moth focuses on the things he loves and respects - nature and the unknown, both in the most broad and most specific sense. he makes art of trees, animals, mountains, the ocean, the forests. he also is quite clear about his admiration, love and respect for first nations people, which i think he photographs more lovingly, and with such honour and dignity than i have ever seen before. i do believe it is this respect and humble nature for his photographed subjects, that most draws me to him and his work. he puts into still frames, dynamic images of what i feel about this country we live in, and the people, places, and things that inhabit the space that we share.

his lighting is stunning (he teaches many many lighting workshops, as he is one of the best), and he manages to make use of the more essential traits in each of his subjects - whether that be bark of a tree, or the facepaint on a person in front of his lens. there's something so haunting about most of his images - as though they are less about the form he can photograph, and moreso about finding out what is missing in the frame, and what feelings that leaves us with.

all i have to say is... troy moth does truly stunning work. just... look.

buy prints from troy here or here  //   contact troy here   //   interview with troy moth here   //