| Image City Photography Gallery Newsletter |
We publish our brief Newsletter during each of our exhibits to pass along information and reviews of the exhibit, photographic tips, selected images and news of other participation opportunities at Image City. We thank you for your interest and we look forward to another great year of fine photographs and events. We hope to see you at each of our 13 shows in 2011. |
Peter's Picks 2008-2009: A Retrospective Part 2 | | Current Show Runs Through Sunday, March 20  Our current exhibit is Peter's Picks 2008-2009: A Retrospective, Part 2. For the last three years, Peter Marr, has made "picks" from each of our shows from the work of the featured and guest photographers. We post Peter's brief article with each photograph where he gives his insight and interpretation for the choice. In the current show we have invited the selected work from 2008 and 2009 back in a retrospective exhibit. Peter also has a marvelous exhibit of his own photography, exceptional nature scenes exquisitely printed. While this portion of the exhibit carries over, there is much new work to be seen in this exhibit with new guest photographers and new work by the Gallery Partners and Artist-in-Residence.Larry Merrill's New Work is in the East Gallery - see the next article for more details on that. Susan Kaye is the guest photographer with a wonderful series of kaleidoscopic photographs where we see new patterns and new perspectives of European architecture or circuit boards. Camera Rochester members with their winning photographs from their competitions are Ted Barnett, Stan Hattman, Tom McGlynn, Andris Silins, John Solberg, and Naushad UzZaman. We round out the show with work by artists-in-residence, Jim Patton and David Perlman, and gallery partners Dick Bennett, Steve Levinson, Gil Maker, Don Menges, Dan Neuberger, Betsy Phillips, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, and Sheridan Vincent.
For full details of the show click here -- where you will find a link for our Preview of the Show and also the Peter's Picks links. There is no admission fee to visit Image City. | |
| Larry Merrill -- New Work | | Current Exhibit - New Work at Image City and Looking at Trees at George Eastman House  Larry Merrill's New Work is exhibited in our East Gallery. The "new work" is an extension to a concurrent exhibit at the George Eastman House, Looking at Trees, that runs until June 12. Photographs from both exhibits are available at Image City.
Larry will also be giving a talk at the Eastman House on Thursday, March 10, at 6:00 pm in the Dryden Theater. Click Here to a link for more details about the exhibit and the talk at the George Eastman House. The talk is included with admission. It is Larry's second solo exhibition at the George Eastman House and he has had numerous exhibitions in the United States over the last 30 years. His work is in the public collections of 16 noted museums and galleries including the Yale University Art Gallery and the Museum of Fine Art, Houston, TX. You will certainly want to visit both exhibitions. |
| Picks of the Current Show | | Peter Marr Picks His Favorite Photographs from this Exhibit Peter Marr has selected three photographs by the guest photographers in the current show. We have excerpts from his discussion here in the newsletter. You will want to go to the webpage link to see larger images and Peter's full write-up, or, certainly better, be sure to visit the gallery to see them in person.
 In selecting Susan Kaye's photograph titled Sint-Janskathedraal, Netherlands Peter described "Susan's impressive display of kaleidoscopic images of both architectural features of cathedrals and towns, and of intricate details of computer circuit boards, are refreshing and delightfully enchanting. Using impeccable technique and a masterly artistic eye, she has given us a great opportunity to explore new perspectives on some familiar elements, admirably expressed by her as 'A different point of view. Using symmetrical matrices, combined with a wide range of both delicate and saturated hues, we enter a fascinating world of images that are not only stimulating to look at, but are excitingly appealing to our imagination. In the above print that I chose to comment further on, I particularly admired the delicate and intricate detail, together with the softness and muted vibrancy of the color envelope. Furthermore, I was impressed with the striking 3D quality, evidenced by the fact that you can go through four horseshoe-like portals into spatial layers that offer endless exploration......... more."  Peter observed with his choice of Larry Merrill's photograph, Tree- Central Park that "This is a truly compelling image of nature joyously bursting forth in early spring with unbounding speed and energy, in direct contrast to the lassitude of the sleeping giant in the foreground. There is an exuberant euphoria from the thick matted grasses growing in random profusion, each blade twisting and turning upwards for maximum light exposure. The rhododendra are almost in full flower, and the profuse leaves on the background trees are showing off their finest greenery. These leaves are proudly showing a myriad of delightful green and yellow hues, welcoming and enjoying every minute of life before insects and birds beset them later in the season. There is a heightened awareness as we experience each subject's atmosphere, creating a spell that has charged the commonplace with incredible beauty. Into this idyllic scene, we impose the powerful, serpentine structures of the menacing branches of a leviathan of Central Park..... more."  With the choice of John Solberg's photograph, Mosaic, Peter noted, "This is an exquisitely seen and captured image of part of an elaborate mosaic floor, strikingly photographed from the viewpoint of the top of a staircase. One is immediately captivated by the inlay designs of the terrazzo floor, which are reminiscent of Eastern European/Asian cultures, so that their symbolism is not readily apparent to most of us. Certainly, the impressively colored embedded tiles are bold, diverse and visually inspiring. We are very aware that this segment of the mosaic floor is just a small part of a much larger work of art, one that we would love to both see and to learn about the history and significance of this jeweled masterpiece. Strikingly, at the bottom of the staircase, there is an elegantly carved newel and finial, supported by elaborate carvings on the supporting framework, all of which appear to historically mirror the inlay patterns of the floor....... more." | |
| Gary Thompson's Photography Tip | | Framing can be an Aesthetic form of Foreground
The use of foreground has been previously discussed in earlier tips of the month as a means of creating the perception of depth in images. Framing is a form of foreground that partially or sometimes fully surrounds the subject of an image. Like other kinds of foreground, its use can create the feeling of depth in images. Sharp foregrounds which include framing enable the viewer to feel as if they can step into the image. The viewer subconsciously remembers experiences related to the composition of the image and the emotions of that experience are communicated. Thus, the use of framing and other forms of foreground are one of the most effective ways for photographers to communicate feelings to viewers of images. My example is a secondary sunrise image where I have combined a blooming ocotillo cactus and prickly pear cactus to frame the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in Texas. Both cacti were brightly lit with side-front lighting about 30 minutes after sunrise. The brightness of the cacti helps them to jump forward in the image. The darker peaks of the Chisos Mountains recede into the background. The title of the image is Ocotillo at Panther Junction. The entire scene is rendered sharp by using a 28-mm lens with a small aperture of f/22 and focusing on one of the closest stems of the ocotillo. A polarizing filter helped saturate the colors. Click Here to see a larger image and to review the other photographs in the series and the tips Gary has written. |
| Gils Maker's Musing on Photography | | Does a Camera make you a Pro? A long time supporter of the gallery sent me a link that discusses this question: Does a camera make you a pro? Does owning an expensive camera make you a pro photographer? This is like arguing which camera manufacturer makes the best camera. You will argue for the one you own. If not, then why did you buy that camera in the first place? It is true the more you pay for a camera the more bells and whistles you get. The camera manufacturers will also tell you that to shoot like a pro, you need the newest gadget. You need face-detection; you need high ISO; a camera body that can withstand a nuclear bomb to be a pro photographer. This is rubbish. Maybe, just maybe, a high-end camera will give you more tools to work with. And that is all you get: a tool. Some are expensive and some not so expensive. In the end, though, the camera does not make you a pro. What makes you a pro is vision and craft. Pro photographers have spent years at their craft. To be good takes time and effort. Pro photographers also develop a vision. They create an "inner feeling" or a "minds eye" over time that facilitates in making great images. Great images can be made by any camera (i.e.: a tool). It is the person behind that camera (tool) that creates great images. And if you are still not sure of that, check out http://thebestcamera.com. All the images were made using cell phone cameras. I doubt that most of these images would have been improved using a "pro camera". Gil |
Image City Critiques | | At the Image City on Wednesday, April 6 at 7pm Each month, we have had a good turnout for Image City Critiques, our free program at the Gallery to provide participants an opportunity to engage in a friendly, constructive, and positive critique and review of their photographs. The sessions are held on the first Wednesday of the month. Join us for the next on Wednesday, April 6th from 7:00-9:00 pm. Please bring 2 or 3 jpg images or prints. Images may be on a CD or on a thumb drive and should be sized at most 1MB in size and at most 1500 pixels on the longest side. If you have any questions please contact Don Menges (dmenges@rochester.rr.com) or Gil Maker (gmaker@mac.com). We look forward to meeting with you on Wednesday, April 6 at 7pm. |
| Calendar | | Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue
March 10 - Talk by Larry Merrill 6 pm at Dryden Theater, George Eastman House
March 20 - Peter's Picks, Part 2 Ends March 23 - Through the Student Lens 2011 Opens March 25 - Opening Reception Through the Student Lens 2011April 6 - Image City Critiques, 7 - 9 pm Image City Photography Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11 - 7, Sunday Noon - 4
There is no admission fee to visit Image City Photography Gallery | |
| Contact Information | | Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 Fine Art You Can Afford
In the Heart of ARTWalk in the Neighborhood of the Arts |
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