Defense is necessary for survival. Every living thing in our world has some way of protecting itself. And with good reason. For behind those defenses lies the part that is most true, beautiful, and vulnerable.

Cacti and succulents are experts at self-defense. With sharp edges and prickly spines, they guard their precious interiors from the harsh world around them. But when we move in close, what secrets hide between the needles and thorns?

By taking an intimate look at these plants, we may also see ourselves. I believe that the deep emotions revealed in these photographs – tranquility, amusement, rage and sensuality – are also hiding beneath our own defenses.

In this series, I employ digital techniques to emulate the classic look of black and white film. Natural light, shallow focus, intense contrast, and unconventional cropping create abstract images that evoke an individual, emotional response in the mind of the viewer.

To create these works, I had to drop my defenses, crafting each image with a specific thought, feeling, or memory in mind. You may not see what I see, or feel what I feel. But if you lower your own defenses, you might find something hidden within yourself.