Making beautiful archival quality prints is a passion. MCO (south central Wisconsin, U.S.A.) finds that crafting the fine print is a key part, and unique technical side, of the creative process. It's moving intangible digital code to paper and ink. It's moving from transmitted light to reflected light. Furthermore, the tangible results hold a place in the tradition of photography, painting, drawing, and printmaking — works on paper.

"I highly respect traditional photographic arts," he says, "and I do some, but I am often uninspired by purely photographic work that is too clean, too realistic, (or poorly exposed)," he says. "I always liked work and techniques that are a little more removed from direct representation, like aquatints, mezzotints, wood block prints, loose brush work. You'll find elements of this in my work — grain, texture, intentional blur, effects of light, and stuff like that, inviting ambiguity and interpretation. The image edge is important to me, too, and I tend to put effort into the border during the final stages of development."

MCO has a foundation in traditional black and white film photography, and he managed his own darkroom for many years. His current work flow is entirely digital. He holds masters degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Ohio University. He is a member of the Model Society, a community where the very best models, photographers and artists collaborate and share their art.