I am drawn to strong graphics and color, especially in plants or architecture. The subject matter by itself may be static and sterile at times but strong composition and a sense of movement in the lines can breathe life into a photograph and evoke pleasant emotions.
Yucca leaves are particularly fun to play with because of the rhythm of the repetitive sword-shaped leaves. Combined with a textured background in subtle shades of green, I find this image to be visually poetic and very striking.
My newest workshop is one that I think will be loads of fun and very illuminating:
“Holistic Photography: Finding Yourself in Your Art”
A photograph is the result of a three-way connection between the photographer, subject, and viewer. You can try to be objective but there will always be a part of yourself in your photos. You will inevitably bring your feelings, past experiences, and pre-conceived ideas to the relationship with your subject. From that relationship your own distinctive style eventually emerges.
This workshop is about identifying your own distinctive style, learning where it comes from and how to use it. We will also discuss ways to get yourself into a mental state that allows the best of yourself to shine in your art. As National Geographic photographer, Sam Abell, once said, “Who we are is the most important thing about photography”.
This two and a half hour class, held at the Albuquerque Photographers’ Gallery, is geared toward intermediate to advanced photographers who have been photographing long enough for a style to emerge. Participants should bring 8-10 prints of their favorite photos for in-depth evaluation.
Date: Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013, 6-8:30 PM.
Cost: $45 (plus NM Gross Receipts tax)
Limit: 10 participants
To sign up: http://www.abqphotographersgallery.com/ or call 505-244-9195
I was sitting in a small restaurant with a view of Mont St Michel in the North of France, having the most delicious lamb dish. Hearing a commotion outside I turned to see hundreds of sheep (and lambs) being herded through town. Right then and there, I resolved to: a) come back the next evening at the same time to photograph the scene, and b) never eat lamb again.
Arcadia is the mythological home of Pan and pastoral paradise represented in poetic fantasy. This scene, with sheep kicking up dust in the shadow of a medieval abbey on the coast of Normandy, is my idea of a poetic fantasy.
Rhythm permeates our world. Music tempts us to move with the flow of notes and the pacing of words on a page encourages us to stay up late to finish a favorite book. Our bodies pulse with the constant rhythmic beating of our hearts, a comforting reminder that we live. Rhythm is alive in the visual arts as well.
Rhythm is “a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement and sound”, according to the Oxford American Dictionary. In his book, Photography & the Art of Seeing, Freeman Patterson says: “Rhythm is a way to use pattern. A pattern may be repeated at random, but if it is repeated at regular intervals, we speak of rhythm.”
If rhythm is movement within repeated patterns, then photography is fertile ground in which to harness that flow. The patterns can be lines, shapes or color, and the positioning of the repetitions can lead the eye in the direction of the photographer’s choosing and influence the tone or feel of the image. In the examples shown here, black lines bending into progressively smaller and smaller triangles sweep us up the stairwell, and repeated colors and shapes of boats march the viewer diagonally across the page in rows. Notice how each rhythm may have a different pace, sometimes dynamic, sometimes plodding.
We can break it down to the step-by-step technique and use it consciously or we can let it flow without thought from that place deep inside us where inspiration is born. You know you have succeeded when you look at it and it feels right in your gut.
When you create a photograph, what is it that urges you to click the shutter at that moment? When purchasing a photograph in your favorite gallery, what is it about that image that called out to you and stopped you in your tracks?
Many people simply don’t know. It is that indefinable something that whispers in your ear so softly that only your subconscious can hear. Is it the composition or colors? Perhaps you felt a special connection to the subject of the photo. Whatever reason you come up with, it can probably be drilled down to the very core of what makes a great photograph. How it makes you feel. And because we all look at art through a different cultural and experiential lens, a single image can elicit a different visceral response from everyone who views it.
Take this photo, “Shaker Dreams”, as an example. What feelings does it evoke in you when you look at it? Does it make you feel nostalgic? Scared? Hopeful?
I’ve had a variety of responses to this photograph. Some people find it a bit scary. They don’t want to know what’s behind the door and the last thing they would want to do is climb those stairs to find out. Others are filled with hope and anticipation. They are bursting to know what is behind a door with such glorious light spilling through its window.
How does it make you feel?
You have acquired a stunning collection of photographs. Now what? There is nothing more paralyzing than facing that blank wall and wondering how to begin. The good news is that there are a few guidelines and suggestions that will help you make that commitment, hang the pictures and still keep the “Wow!” factor that drew you to the images in the first place.
Start by studying your collection and looking for patterns or themes. Are they mostly Black & White? Do you prefer color landscapes? Or is it an eclectic mix? How about your room décor? Is it traditional and formal? Or do you lean toward casual and unstudied? You can choose an arrangement that complements the space.
If you have one large eye-popping image, your job is a little easier. But a small or medium sized photo can look lost on a large wall. Grouping a collection of photos can have more impact than dotting them around the room. Group photos by topic (architecture, landscapes, rusting cars, etc), style (black & white, color, dark and somber, etc), or by frames (black metal, brown wood, barn siding, etc). And sometimes the unifying theme is its diversity.
This process is highly personal and there are no right answers, only results that make you feel good. Here are a few tips to get you started:
-Use newspaper or brown craft paper cut in the size and shapes of your art and try out different arrangements by taping them on the wall. Or lay the artwork out on the floor to help you visualize the result.
-A grouping of photos works best with 2-3 inches between frames, you can tack strings on the wall using a level to keep a consistent space between photos.
-For a graphic, traditional look, arrange photos in a precise grid pattern:
-For a more informal look, organize a collection of random-sized photos along a unifying horizontal central line:
-Framed photos can be grouped on shelves.
-Step your photos above a stairway. Have the center points of the frames follow a line parallel to line of the stairs. They can be touching, frame-to-frame or spaced a couple inches apart: -Arrange smaller pictures around a large anchor picture.
-A row of photos hugging a chair rail emphasizes the architectural detail.
-Anchor your art to a large piece of furniture. As a general rule of thumb, a large grouping of pictures over a sofa should be about two-thirds of the width of the sofa and about 6 or 7 inches above the back.
-When not anchoring to furniture, hang at eye-level.
-But the most important thing to remember is; always follow your gut and break the rules when it feels right.
The Albuquerque Photographers' Gallery--the co-op gallery I joined in August 2010--has finally emerged from the dark little shop that we affectionately called "the cave". We have moved to a much better location on the west side of the San Felipe de Neri church in Old Town, Albuquerque. It is a spacious, well-lit space in the Plaza Don Luis.
Come and visit us!
Since retiring from the fulfilling-yet-financially struggling world of newspaper photography, my work has begun a new direction. I have joined the Albuquerque Photographers Gallery in Old Town. The official website description reads:
“The Albuquerque Photographers Gallery is the only cooperative art gallery in New Mexico dedicated solely to exhibiting and promoting contemporary fine-art photography by local photographers.”
This is a new adventure for me and living in New Mexico has given me a fresh array of subjects to explore visually. I am the tenth member and I enjoy being part of a community of photographers again. Because this is a coop, I take my turn working in the gallery 3 days a month. It’s wonderful to be out talking to people about photography and their experiences in New Mexico.
I like to think that there was art in all my photojournalism work, but now I have a venue to pursue art for art sake.
