Artist Statement
I am a Bay Area–based photographer working primarily in black and white analog film. Using a combination of Holga and Canon cameras, I move between simplicity and control, allowing each tool to influence how an image is formed.
My work focuses on landscapes and street environments, drawn to spaces shaped by human presence, absence, and repetition. The images often carry dark and moody tones, where shadow, contrast, and texture create atmosphere rather than explanation. Working in black and white allows me to strip the photograph down to its emotional core, emphasizing feeling over detail.
My sense of self comes through the work naturally. The photographs reflect how I experience the world—quiet, observant, and attentive to moments that feel unresolved or fleeting. Film slows the process and introduces uncertainty, which I see as essential. Through this approach, I aim to create images that hold tension, invite reflection, and remain open to interpretation.
Bio
Robert D. Chavez III was born and raised in the East Bay, and began drawing as a child as a form of escape from the harsh realities of the world. At 20-years-old, Robert discovered that his true passion was photography, which he has pursued ever since. Robert Chavez holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art Photography.
Working in galleries for years gave Robert a strong perspective and inspiration from artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Irving Penn, and Robert Frank. After moving to San Jose and finding a community of artists, Robert’s artwork has flourished. He shares his love of photography with his students in the photography classes he assists at San Jose City College. By sharing his zeal for all art, but specifically photography, to the younger generation, Robert Chavez hopes to instill that same idea of the sanctuary that art can be in one’s life, as it has always been in his own.