Curated Photos | December 5, 2016 | Amy Jasek

Night:  n. "The time from dusk to dawn when no sunlight is visible."  

Astronomy was a childhood passion of mine, so I have been fascinated by the night for many years now. Besides the secretive beauty of the sky itself, I love how the color, and the temperature, changes.  Different animals (different humans) appear.  Everything is new, and inspiring to me; I know I have written at least ten very bad pieces of poetry in a heightened state of emotion, brought on by the onset of evening.  These days, I prefer to explore with my camera instead of a pencil.

This is the dark time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, when the days are at their shortest, and there is more night than usual. There might not be as much sunlight, but there is so much other light, and it makes for wonderful photographs.  I hope you enjoy this week's selections, and are moved to get out and explore, yourself!

Ruby Berry will be curating next week and the theme is "Traditions." Share one or two shots that capture a tradition that is meaningful to you -- whether it's a solemn lighting of the tree, the surprise of a snow day, a sacred ritual, or the joyful return of the McRib. Submit your work here . 

Amy Jasek

Photography is a family tradition. I was raised in the darkroom, and on the fine art work of photographers like Edward Weston, Diane Arbus, and Ansel Adams. My father took me photographing with him regularly and taught me how to look at light. He gave me my first camera (an Olympus RC); I made my first black and white print (standing on a stool!) at the age of 7. There are some gaps in the timeline of my photographic journey, enforced upon it by life in general, but film and cameras are one of the few things that have remained constant every step of the way. For me, photography is all about moments and truth. I like to work in black and white so that I can highlight those two things. The truth, form, and simplicity of the moment is presented; I feel that removing the color from the scene brings these things out. I believe street photography is a little window into the heart and soul of a place, a time, and the people in it. These days I tend more toward street portraits and interaction with my subjects, but my drive for capturing the candid moment remains the same.