Decode Gallery

'Pulling Strings' by Steve Homol

'How can one ever be prepared for oblivion? How can one be ready to face the membrane that separates reality from the churning maelstrom of inanity? Perhaps the solution is to not face the vacuity alone, but as a pair. Two figures face the nothingness, carrying accoutrements of the mundane, common, modern artifacts - a horseshoe, lawn darts, sledgehammers, a human spine, a pair of nets, a tin can telephone. Each item is a totem to hold back the encroaching existential slurry. And our heroes wear masks, the only plastic barrier keeping their individuality intact as they prepare to face the nothingness.

Steve Homol, a freelance photographer based in Arizona, offers his newest provocative collection, Always Prepared for The Nothingness – undoubtedly his most adventurous and playful to date. The collection shows two subjects wearing masks, either posed in mannequin-like stillness or caught in the thrall of motion, moving through a series of stark landscapes that seemingly offer the viewer a symbolic yet elusive meaning. In each image, the subjects wield everyday objects with purpose, and yet what hidden intent do they carry? The nets catch no butterflies, sledgehammers meet no walls, and phones echo into silence.'

'River of Time' by KM Smith

'A rugged landscape transforms into a visual symphony of lines and forms. The rock groups against the subtle gradients of earth tones tells a story of quiet rivalry, framed within the canvas of nature.'

'Shadow Play' by Vikas Nama

'A visual interrogation of reality versus projection. The fabric acts as a screen where the shadow (the illusion) seems more structured and rigid than the fluid, organic movement of the human holding it.'

'The Motel Manager' by Dustin Mullin

'This portrait of Wayne, a motel manager, is part of a long term documentary project called "Derailed". The project explores Declining western American towns and the resilience of their residents. This chapter is focused on Green River, Utah, a town steeped in Western history but often bypassed by the modern pace of the world. Roadside motels serve as temporary sanctuaries for travelers and laborers in transition, and Wayne stands as the permanent anchor for one of these passing worlds. The image captures the quiet dignity and raw resilience of a man woven into the fabric of the highway, keeping a forgotten corner of our landscape running.'
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'Empty Clock' by Amy Lesher

'The National was built in the 1930s. In the 2010s it began having a lot of issues: financial, fighting by various parties for the building and various building issues with an 80+ year old building. It was rescued by a prince charming in the form of a local developer and is now a hotel and apartments. The Great Hall, what used to be the banking floor, is Oklahoma's living room. It has become my second home in Oklahoma City. During the renovation I was taking photos often of the building (and I've taken so many more since the building reopened.) When I meet people downtown, I go retro and have them meet me under the clock at The National.'

'In the dark' by Alisa Kishchenko
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'Untitled' by Alfred Gonzalez

'Untitled' by Samuel Feron

'Internal Disturbance' by Meredith Fontana

'My work is rooted in a lifelong relationship with wild places and a fascination with deep time. As a former paleontologist, I learned to see the natural world not just as beautiful scenery or a place for recreation, but as an interconnected, evolving continuum shaped by incomprehensible forces and timescales.

I approach photography as a naturalist and explorer first. I make my work on foot while hiking and backpacking into remote locations, where physical immersion in the landscape becomes part of my creative process. The camera is my medium for paying attention, for translating wonder, and for expressing my connection to the natural world.

I believe that wilderness is essential to the well-being of every living creature on Earth, and my work is driven by deep concern about how quickly it is disappearing. Through my photographs, I aim to convey reverence for wild lands and heighten awareness of nature as something irreplaceable and sacred.'

'Among Giants' by Kathy McGreal

'WARNING: Visiting Saguaro National Park has been known to cause a shift in perspective.'