Chuck Dooms and his cell phone camera are to photography what the 4-track recorder is to rock-and-roll.
But, a low-budget approach in the hands of an artist can often equal a completely original, howling, needed, primal approach to art making.
Using his own photos or employing photo collage techniques--all self-taught, Mr. Dooms pushes, pulls, and pounds images to fit his mold.
He then attacks his images with colors pulled out of what might be a B-movie documentary on Timothy Leary.
The end result is a fresh and alive photo confection, complete with a title like "Failed 4-H Project,” "Chechen Rebel Piano Recital,” or "Beauty Lobotomy."
Mr. Dooms told me that when he works with an image, he hears a loud voice in his head that tells him to "stay out of the way." He then totally ignores the subject matter in order to tell a different story through the digital colors he applies.
When I told Mr. Dooms I wanted to report on his work, he humbly said that if I "change my mind and opt for someone a little more conventional," he would understand.
To actually know Mr. Dooms is to know Hunter S. Thompson, but without a drop of aggression.
I call him a "rock and roll photographer."
Seeing Mr. Dooms’ photos will make you think of album covers.
Any Dooms image would work famously on a John Spencer or Stephen Malkmus album cover.
And Mr. Dooms doesn't seem to care much for the dollar bills. He only charges $25.00 for a print. The 57-year-old cat just wants to drink coffee, eat pastry, and make some art.
You can see Chuck’s work at: www.chuckdooms.com.