Photographer David M. Grossman is an Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the ‘Psychometry Series’. To see David ‘s body of work, click on any photograph.

“Theosophists and occultists from the earliest times have held that every object in the world receives and keeps all impressions, not only of all objects that stand before it, but also of all that happens before it; that these impressions are indelible and can at any time be taken off by man’s nervous system and from that reported to the mind; and, therefore, that if we possess a piece of stone from the Roman Forum, we can reproduce to the mind, as clearly as a picture, all that happened in the Forum.”

—Psychometry, by W.Q. Judge, The Platonist, Jan.1884

The above statement by William Judge implies that our every thought and feeling are recorded like a sheet of photographic film can record an image of what the camera is focused on but remains latent until through a chemical process the image is revealed. So, the psychometrist has the capability to view, bring forth the latent images imbedded in an object. This type of clairvoyance is called psychometry.

It was this basic idea that the life and experience of mankind is recorded and preserved within our creations. Just as every outer action has an inner (intelligent) impulse so every form, animate and inanimate reflects an informing intelligence. It was while musing over these ideas back in the 1980’s that the impulse for this collection of photographic images was born. I called it “Psychometry Series.” There are 32 images in the full series.

These photos were made by taking the human form and blending it with the manmade; the idea being that we inhabit all our creations, we impress our surroundings with our life-force, thoughts and feelings. The psychometrist is one who has developed the faculty to access this memory bank of nature.

I literally made pictures of friends and family in the studio on a dark background and combined these images with photos made on the streets of Los Angeles and New York, manmade environments. Then through trial and experiment found matches or blends that “sang to me”. I would then sandwich the two negatives together and print them as a single image.

David M. Grossman is an American Photographer living in Brooklyn, New York. His work concentrates on social commentary and exploring various expressions of the human condition. David’s photographs are regularly published internationally in books and magazines in print form and online as well as in various types of exhibits.

David has also done extensive assignment work in the fields of Healthcare, Social Services and Education, creating brochures, annual reports and various website and printed materials. 

He also has explored various ideas and concepts through his photography and darkroom work, his Psychometry series being an example.

All images and text © David M. Grossman