Meet Lee Moses | Art Photography from A Maverick

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lee Moses and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lee, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Pennsylvania, city of Philadelphia. Leaving my city of birth to relocate to California, thousands of miles to the west, was a leap of faith. Staying put to what was familiar would definitely be worse than risking failure somewhere else. Imagine a closed door, light beams leaking through the gaps dimly illuminating a room that has become the corral of frustration and discontent. I know what is possible within that light. Everything there inspires me to seek something better. That something does not exist on this side of that door. Philly was/is a tough town, seldom forgiving but always coiled to launch a valuable lesson of survival. Some neighborhoods, mine in particular, never bore the fruits capitalism, instead cultivated varying degrees of frustration. For me however this environment became the fertilizer from which optimism, determination, perseverance, and defiance grows.

On the other side I found a different environment, pleasantly alien in some ways, mostly enlightening in others. Here one works as a means to enjoy where they are, contrary to working only as a means to survive. I must admit that having to traverse a rough road prepared me to manage any speed bumps ahead. There surely would be a few, but perseverance prevails when motivation outweighs the return to the dread. Some pain must be endured to truly appreciate the arrival of contentment.

It took time to adjust to this new place. Not just the physical location. The mental adjustment, the monetary accounting necessary to remain on this side of the door, the time to assimilate into a new normal, all of this was the process of decompression into a different atmosphere. I was not yet ready to transpose my photographic skills to this new visual canvas. That would be twenty five years later.

Nothing worthwhile comes quick or is easy. I remember this quote from Henry Miller: “In this age which believes there is a shortcut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.”

Only a few of us will make a living doing what we love to do, rather we settle for doing what we must. This is survival, not whining about the unfairness of this world, but instead using our pliable skills to find a way. I have reached that goal. I am privileged to being the captain of my vessel. I am the ink that flows through my own pen. My cameras record what my subconscious interprets. My mission is to extract mystery from the ordinary. I refuse to follow the paths of others. I have a different voice, a different view. The only challenge left for me is to pursue my photographic journey in the time that is left.

Alright, so let’s move onto what motivates you professionally?
In a word, my past experiences. I have no memories of holding both of my parent’s hands as a child. They were not together long enough for us to share that experience. Upon my Dad’s death we were in a room standing over his body. I took my mom’s had to my right and my Dad’s cold hand to my left, and for a brief moment satisfied what had been missing for more than half a lifetime. There are no sweet promises in this life. There might be a rare windfall opportunity, or a significant asset boost that was unexpected, but nothing is promised to us. We must find our own path, plow the field and reap the reward. It must be earned.

I grew up in a gang infested environment. There were many challenges for me to overcome being consumed by gang culture. My Mom was pivotal in stressing the importance of my uniqueness. It took many years but eventually I came to understand the power of not following. That was my way out. I chose to be what I am, rather than submit to some group’s preconceived idea of who they wanted me to be.

As a young adult my first job was running a copy machine at a switchgear manufacturer. I constantly bent the ear of my boss to submit me for interview to the drafting department. That day came and I was transferred to the electrical control panel drafting team. It was a new environment for me but I had the requisite skills to meld into the group. I noticed how everyone embraced their task as if it was linked to their self worth. It was not like that for me. Instead the job was a means to accumulate assets then use those to transition to something better.

That came to be when I was accepted into the Architecture and Engineering Department, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That was an interesting job. I participated in field surveys of many city builds and facilities. My primary task was to generate design drawings to be used in the creation of documents for bidding purposes. My boss was using a staff photographer to capture onsite images. I offered to provide that service. At that time I was processing my own film in my kitchen. He allowed me to do some photo field work, and being able to be away from the office from time to time helped to keep me motivated.

After a few years I was married and we moved to California. I had gained enough experience to be interviewed at Bechtel, a global engineering and construction company. I was employed there for 16 years, thirteen of which as a CAD instructor (computer aided design). I had become the principle CAD trainer for phase one & two training of designers in the Los Angeles Division. This was to be the best job I ever had.

Nothing lasts forever. Incoming contracts slowed. Existing projects were winding down. It was inevitable for layoffs to begin. Eventually the LA regional office shut down. I thought I was done. My skill set had become very specialized. I was no longer easily transferrable. For a short time I did some contract work as a CAD trainer. After that I took an office job at an Architect Interiors company as CAD support. After that I landed in another Engineering company that was closer to my home. I never worked with CAD again. That door had closed. I did learn new skills that kept me employed for quite some time, but once again I was laid off.

Now near 50 years old there was no way for me to earn my previous compensation at a new job. So, I went back to school, and completed a B.S. in Accounting. Afterwards I landed a new job at the same company that laid me off. By then, I had become more focused on an exit strategy. I was no longer to be used as a commodity to the corporation, but instead I used the company to fulfill my goal, which was to self-terminate on my terms at my chosen time in a manner that would benefit me, not the corporation.

All those years of accumulation of assets were in preparation for my ultimate leap to creative freedom. Once freed from chasing the carrot I found the desert to be the perfect place to become a maverick.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Wow, you are asking me to step into a time machine. A start would be my parents. Both nurtured by example. My dad was a multifaceted man. He was a trained cabinet maker who later started a construction business. He also had many interests which fulfilled his life, photography being one of them. He was the spark that ignited my interest. My mom taught me patience, perseverance and how to save money. Next would be my boss from my first real job in Philly at the Municipal Services Building. His name was Leonard Tapper, Electrical Engineer. I learned much from him regarding the preparation protocols of preparing documents and design drawings for bidding purposes, used to support the maintenance of all city buildings, including prisons.

But we are here to talk about photography, so there is Michael Kenna, Fan Ho, and others. I am not much into namedropping. It is more about the work than the name behind the work. I do not do this for monetary gain. Particular images motivate me. They do not have to be photos. Abstract paintings motivate me. One painter in particular fascinates me. His name is George Rowlett. His work has helped accelerate my transition to abstract photography.

In this life, none of us are ever complete. We are the accumulation of everything that has happened to us over time, up to this point. Tomorrow I shall be a bit different than who I am today. I choose to think of it as continuous improvement. My motivation is to leave this life knowing that I have attempted to accomplish more positive effects and not to accelerate the negative. My photographic art brings me peace of mind. In that mental state I am able to continue forward, and hopefully bring some goodness with me.

Website: https://lee-moses.wixsite.com/art-photography

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lehmanmoses/videos