All images copyright by the individual photographers

	Boulevard of Broken Dreams  by d. dargan teska d. dargan’s four muted, monochromatic portraits share distinctive elements of what it means to be human – connection, danger, dreams and failure. Boulevard of Broken Dreams reminds me of the song from the 60’s – “Is that all there is?” sung by Peggy Lee. One ‘rule’ of composition is that if the subject is moving, its placement is generally to the left of the fame so that the viewer’s eyes visualize the space the subject is walking into. d. dargan places her subject to the left of the frame, moving to the left, out of the frame. The contemplative figure, somewhat slouching seems to be purposefully walking away. The rain and fog in the urban landscape and the slightly tilted background adds to the bleakness of the subject. Thank you to Deb for a well thought out composition.
	Brooklyn Chapel by Jim Patton The Brooklyn Chapel is the gentle structure amidst the fields of cotton, now waiting for Spring to bring their new growth and green to the landscape. The chapel, made famous by the movie, “The Help”, sits in the hedge row separating the vast flats. The trees bare their branching structures, setting a visual context for the chapel.  The stark rows of sleeping cotton plants point our attention directly to the chapel, inviting us to look closer, to explore the details. The photograph could almost be a monochrome in browns – a snowless winter scene of the South.   What feeling does this photograph bring to you? Jim has presented a wonderful image of this place, this chapel. Enjoy!
	Life on the Porch by Jim Patton Jim has captured just a moment in unfolding life stories, and presented a photograph that we can take our time with – it offers so much.   The man sits on the old couch out on his porch , comfortable, at ease, with no pretense.   Working shoes off, two little pups at his side.   We can imagine he’s a working man – does something with NAPA, has a family.  Oh, his daughter walking on-stage with the potato chip bag.  There’s the "No Trespassing" sign that increases its prominence by its placement in a corner of the triangle – man, sign, daughter.  What’s that about?  It’s all in a moment, and we’re invited guests.  Once again, Jim shows his ability to capture and share moments of humanity, this time from our own South.
	Ready for Visitors by Monroe Payne My first impression of Monroe Payne’s image, Ready for Visitors, is a ‘Sense of Place.’ Monroe has given us a wonderful image full of life and warmth. We are taken behind the scene of perhaps a busy thoroughfare, hidden from view by the peach colored walls of the buildings. The perspective and composition in the image enable us to be transported through the cobbled street to a pup waiting patiently for a visitor or a walk and then beyond to an ornate door. One might ask what’s behind the door? Above the door are two windows with the top window catching the reflection a blue sky. Balconies overflowing with flowers and vines add to the serenity of this scene. The angle of the camera emphasizes the leading lines of the buildings on either side of the walkway that guide us into the photograph to the door and two windows at the far end. The door and two windows are off center allowing room for the pup to roam in the lower third of the picture.  The depth of field is spot on. The image looks as if it may have been edited using digital software that a gives a pleasant painterly feel to the image.   This Ready for Visitors conveys a peacefulness through the use of color and composition.  Monroe’s image projects a quiet hidden place where neighbors can converse over their balconies with the smell of simmering pots of food in the air. The Inherent charm of this place and the impression that people derive from its atmosphere give us a sense of place with an unfolding story.
	Gears by David Perlman As you look at David’s collection of images for this show you can’t help but notice his whimsical style. There are often “objects” hanging off his frames or water spigots pushing out of the middle of the image.  Gears goes beyond these and offers us a functioning clock with the correct time; six, three dimensional blocks with photographic gear elements on the surface; and a combination lock that actually turns (I tried it).  All of these elements are fixed on a base photograph of several gears.  Your first inclination is that the black frame encompasses B&W elements, but there are also gold, silver, brass and small red and green buttons on the clock.  The more time you spend with this photographic potpourri the more interesting little ingredients you’ll find. Typical David!
	Piston Rods David Perlman David has a penchant for moving parts.  If his photograph doesn’t explicitly have actual moving parts, the image portrays them realistically.  Piston Rods is one such image.  I am drawn immediately to the large red vertically positioned “rods” as if they are just about ready to be shoved into motion by a sudden explosion on top of invisible pistons.  The rods hold the only color in this photo, save a small blue patch, so they grab our attention instantly.  The larger than life nuts and bolts hold this machine together as the wheel behind all this machinery is about to turn. This image “feels” big and powerful and just about to put into motion as David has successfully intended it to be.
	Lake Ontario Icescape by Michael Shoemaker Mike has some wonderful color landscapes of different areas where he and his wife have visited over the past 20 years. He won an award for his winter view of the Sodus Lighthouse. However, the one that grabbed my attention was Lake Ontario Icescape. Photography is “reading light” and Mike crafts an excellent example of how it is done. Creating a photo close to sunrise or sunset, the so called “golden hour” produces soft lighting from a lower level of the sky. Taking the same image at mid-day with harsh lighting leads to scenes with few shadows that rapidly change from bright light to black. Soft lighting as Mike highlights here, shows gradual gradations from the deep shadows to the lighter areas. The addition of these softer shadows generates the sense of depth and three-dimensional quality to the landscape. Mike also uses a soft pallet of colors. The snow and ice form a nice smooth transition from the foreground to the background that allows your eye to wander and partake of the serene view. Of course, all this is in contrast to the harsh conditions that Mike likely experienced in order to share this wonderful icescape with us.