These black and white studies started as a pandemic experiment of time spent in contemplation of the world so much in our immediate proximity that we don't notice what it holds as we rush about in our normal lives. Photography became part of a personal exercise in listening with my eyes, of standing still and finding beauty.

At first, the pictures seemed to be about simplicity — but the more involved I became with this process, I realized they are anything but simple and are actually more complex than any other photos I have taken over the last 30 years as a commercial and fine art photographer. The complexity lies in the details we miss when we don’t slow down—the texture of succulents, the many mirrors in a single drop of water. It became clear to me that although the colors in the images are beautiful they can distract, and I favor celebrating the details through the beauty of a black and white photographic print.

A widely-respected commercial photographer for over 20 years, Robert has developed national campaigns for Pottery Barn, Mens Wearhouse, Kinkos, Subway, and MTV. His editorial work has been featured in various international publications including Metropolitan Home, Wired, and Details Magazine. His techniques were featured in the book Shooting Digital and he is the co-author of the book "Photos That Sell" with Dan Gookin. Robert has been photographing jazz musicians for over thirty years and San Jose Jazz is currently presenting a retrospective of his jazz photography at San Jose City Hall.