“The Dao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Dao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. Having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; Having a name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire we must be found, if its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be; Its outer fringe is all that we shall see. Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.”

— Lao Tzu, The Dao De Jing, translation by James Legge

A black-and-white photograph of a man with long hair and a beard, smiling and looking towards the distance, at the beach.

—Photo by Cameron and Spencer Laws

Edward Laws

I am a fine-art photographer creating black and white, color and abstract works inspired by Daoist philosophy.

My art is guided by its quiet teachings — a way of seeing that invites balance, simplicity, and harmony with nature. My lens is a window into my awakening heart. Each photograph is a meditation, a moment of stillness where truth reveals itself in light, shadow, and form.

Like many others, my life has not always been in balance. Much like the Phoenix, I have risen from the ashes of a former life — one built on striving, suffering, and fear. In those ashes, I found clarity. I learned that beauty and meaning arise when we surrender control and move with the flow of life, not against it.

I now live a humble life rooted in kindness, empathy, and gratitude. My two sons are the center of my universe — constant reminders of innocence, the genuine nature of youth, and unbounded kindness. They inspire me to see the world as it truly is: alive, interconnected, and endlessly wonderful.

My work is not merely about what I see; it is about truth — the quiet, eternal truth that lives in the curve of a mountain, the whisper of mist, or the reflection of light on still water. It is in those moments that I am one with the Dao… and feel most alive.

Reach out...

I would love to hear from you. Whether you have questions about my art, my inspiration, my journey, Daoism, or if you are an emerging artist yourself, I welcome your thoughts with open arms. I’ll respond as soon as possible.