Gallery Photographers
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Partners' Picks of the Show Immersed in Nature July 13 - August 8, 2021 Luann Pero
Gallery
Partners have chosen our "Picks of the Show"
All images copyright by the individual photographers
Joy
Our Visiting
Artist for this show, Peter Blackwood, is an avid landscape and
nature photographer. Joy is an excellent example of his attention to
detail and storytelling, expressing a commonality among all species,
the feeding of the young. Peter is at the water level for his
portrait, likely in his kayak, to depict the absolute excitement of
the chick receiving a small fish from the mother loon. Peter places
the subject in the lower third of the photo and crops very closely
to emphasize the exchange between mother and two-week-old chicks.
The texture of the mother and chicks is also contrasting and gives
the viewer time to linger and compare the two. The foreground is
muted and assists in highlighting the main subject. Though the top
of the background is brighter, it does not interfere with the main
subject. A beautiful portrait of a common enough interaction that
makes one feel we are experiencing this event with Peter.
Weathered Man with Cigar DeDe talks about Havana as exciting with a
mysterious culture, secretive and with elements of the Old World.
Look at THIS guy! He is the epitome of exactly that of which
she speaks. A weathered up old face marked with lines of stress and
aging. His teeth clutched firmly on a cigar that has probably been
there for days. Dark eyes look into empty space with an emptiness
only he can comprehend. This is the face begging to tell a story!
The “hundred years of paint layers” she speaks of are right here!
DeDe has managed to capture all of this with a perfect
exposure and by placing the portrait off to one side giving a place
for the “story” to the left. The tones are exactly “old world.”
Notice also that DeDe has taken this portrait from a lower angle
than you’d expect giving this old guy a place of importance. The
tight crop lets us feel as if we are right next to him! This is an
excellent photograph. Thanks for sharing.
Life on the Street #5
Shelia
presents an excellent series of “street photographs” in this
exhibit. This photo makes you laugh…too often panhandlers make up a
story to explain why they need your money, this woman is honest. She
engages you with her by looking directly at the camera while holding
a sign, making a peace sign and smoking a cigarette. She is
truly a Multi-tasker! Gesture is an
important part of a good photograph. It moves the subject from
just an inanimate object to someone you can interact with. It often
means that you do not just “sneak” a shot but have to engage the
person and wait till they have the expressions that you want to
capture. Shelia has done a great job in doing this, as she has with
the rest of her exhibition. Using Black and
White is the perfect medium for street photography. It gives a
gritty, realist feeling to the image. It is well composed, which is
difficult as one often has only seconds to frame and make the
photograph. Using black mat makes the photo pop, looking almost
three dimensional with our model coming toward you, just like she
would do if you encountered her on the street. Let’s hope that
she was successful in her days “work” and was able to enjoy her
evening with her purchases!
Survival As a social worker Julie has certainly had the
opportunity to experience the grittier side of life in Rochester.
Poverty, addiction, and surviving on the streets leaves a nasty
mark, not just on people, but their environment as well. This photo
shows an old, “experienced” vine that has learned to cling to the
side of a building for many years, latching onto every part of the
brick and mortar it can find to stay alive. It is invasive only
because it needs to survive!
The almost monochrome tonality and grittiness Julie gives this photo
helps us to understand the need this vine has continue its
existence. Truly a metaphor many people experience on a regular
basis. This is one of several great photos Julie has shared with us.
Untitled #5
Joyce Pearson
is exhibiting selections from the “Hands Legacy Project” she began
that provides complimentary hand portraits for the loved one, who is
in bereavement care and their family. With her background in social
services and hospice work, Joyce assists the family to personalize
these images in ways that symbolize the interests and talents of the
patient. One of the most striking for this viewer was #5, with the
three daughters and wife cradling his hand in theirs. His hands
formerly calibrated aviation instruments and played semi-pro
baseball. Shakespeare’s “Seven Ages of Man” comes to mind as I think
about this photo. As infants we are nurtured by our parents. Then,
when we decide to have a family, we nurture our young and they in
turn hopefully assist us in what Shakespeare called “our second
childishness and mere oblivion.” The five hands are placed
strategically. One may see a star, a cross and perhaps the outline
of a baseball glove to hold and care their husband and father. This
is a very moving exhibit that reminds us of consider the human
condition and the support and love we furnish and receive from one
another. Thank you, Joyce, for this loving presentation.
Poetry in Snow II
This month
we have the privilege of seeing an entire gallery of Luann’s
photographs ranging from forests to the inner parts of flowers. She
captures nature in a beautiful and expressive manner.
Most
photography in Rochester is done in the warmer months, when trees
and flowers are in bloom, offering their beautiful colors and forms
to our cameras. This photo was obviously taken in the winter,
when many of us are drinking a hot drink and being glad to be
inside.
Luann
presents a minimalist view of three or four stick like objects
planted in the snow…are they buried or emerging? That is up the
viewer.
There is
only slight structure to the snow, making it a background for the
main features of this photograph. Symmetrical but well
balanced the square format lends to the composition. There is no
extraneous space but yet the composition is not crowded.
Luann has
carefully chosen her subject in a way that they all look like they
are the same on first look, but then you can see how they differ in
their complexity and form. Having them not all in a straight line
makes for a strong visual interaction, drawing you into the
photograph.
Photographing something as simple of this with the kinds of results
that Luann achieves makes this a strong candidate for a Partners’
Pick. | ||||||||||||
Image City Photography Gallery ♦ 722 University Avenue ♦ Rochester, NY 14607 ♦ 585.271.2540 In the heart of ARTWalk in the Neighborhood of the Arts |