Ken Smith, originally from Des Moines, is a photographer from Riverside, Washington. Ken works in both digital and traditional photographic processes. When working digitally, he produces his still life compositions by scanning an actual leaf or flower and then manipulating the color and contrast of the image. He also works in black and white and often incorporates split-toned or hand-colored images. Ken creates a strong sense of tranquillity and focuses on the beauty of nature in his simple compositions. He chooses these subjects because, for him, they have a recurring theme of impermanence and change. Ken remarks,"...when I do my work well, it may be that those who view it discover not something new, but the essence of something they already deeply know, a kind of innate recognition of human connectedness. A validation and celebration of existence." Ken's photographs can be found in private and public collections in the United States as well as in Europe. Collections include Fifth Avenue Suites Hotel in Portland, Ore.; Japanese Cultural Center in Spokane, Wa.; Washington State Arts Commission; Hewlett-Packard in Dublin, Ireland; Hubbell Realty; Rain & Hail Insurance; and Thomas McGee L.C. in Kansas City.