It was an unexpected honour.
Jeff Burton is the new local artist at the Humboldt and District Museum and Gallery. His display of photographs will be up until the end of June.
Burton was surprised to hear someone suggested his name to the museum as a local artist to be featured on their walls.
“I had never given any thought to making a display,” said Burton. “I just like taking pictures,” he laughed.
He has been interested in photography since he was a child.
“As a child, I was fascinated by my camera and being able to preserve moments forever, “said Burton.
That was the inspiration behind his exhibit called “Hold Life Still.”
He explained that life is full of moments that will never happen again and capturing them with his camera is a chance to keep those moments forever.
“Moments go too fast and things change quickly,” said Burton. “Everything moves and changes — you especially notice it as a parent. What is there yesterday may never be there again.”
Burton’s photographs capture moments he was mesmerized with and had to capture on film.
“I want to preserve the frailty and wonderment of the moment,” said Burton.
He explained using one of his photographs of eggs his daughters painted at Easter as an example. He said you can paint eggs every day, try to recapture that moment, but it will never be exactly the same as it was in the picture.
He doesn’t go out trying to find things to shoot. He just shoots whatever he sees.
“There is not necessarily a rhyme or reason to my photos,” laughed Burton. “I walk around with my camera and shoot whatever catches my eye.”