When Recognition is Due
A gallery owner recently told me a cute story about a mother and her young son who were looking at the juried exhibition on display. After they viewed the show, the mother asked the little boy what his favorite piece of art work was. Without hesitation, he pointed to a black and white photograph of a female nude. Turns out that the photograph was mine - I feel honored!
Our Client Base
While we like to work with individual people (mostly portraiture), there are many businesses and organizations that have been great to!
Some of these clients include:
Omega Institute
Panasonic Corp
Huffington Post
Ahimsa Festival
Mohonk Preserve
Luminary Publishing (Chronogram & Upstate House)
Berkshire Hathaway Realty
Winnakee Land Trust
Art Society of Kingston
Human Connection Arts
SOS Triathlon
Care Through Touch
Mayfest
Cape Code Leather
R&F Handmade Paints
Shakti Yoga
Milne Antiques
Gary Friedland Antique Arms & Armour
A big 'Thank You' to everyone involved!
Abstract Photography
Most people think of abstract art as painting or sculpture. And photography as a medium for realism. However, I am drawn to the idea that photography can also be abstract. And while abstract photography is nothing new, I think it is a genre that can be explored more deeply.
I have uploaded a new gallery of abstract photos. In this new series, it is my attempt to explore the abstract side of photography - Impressionism and Expressionism. I should mention that many of these images are still 'sketches' and will be worked on more.
When I was in art school (in a different lifetime), there was a big faction between the 'Realists' and the 'Abstractionists." Not only were their artistic styles different, but so were their social circles. It's kind of like the difference between John Coltrane, U2, and Andres Segovia (for the music lovers out there). I have always had an eccentric taste when it comes to music and art. And to be honest, I don't like a lot of music and art. But what I do like often spans a huge gap in styles and genres.
Check out the new gallery here. However, it's not for everyone. And that's OK!
Personal Book Projects
Personal photography books have been very popular in the last few years. Anyone can print a book of their own work with excellent results.
That said, I recently completed a book project with a colleague called "Path to Healing." Meant more as a memento than a commercial project, this book captures a specific project we worked on. Go to my gallery called CTI (Care through Touch) to read the story behind the project.
This is not just a book with photographs, but there are stories that accompany the images. While this was an exciting project, it was also a lot of work - choosing the right photographs, writing the stories, editing, proofing, etc. With each 'test print' of the book, there were always corrections, edits, and changes that needed to be made. Like photography, everything may look OK on the screen, but once it is printed there are often details that need to be corrected or improved.
We used Apple Books. While I like to support Apple, I do not feel their photo books are of a professional quality. Additionally, their templates are very limited and their support leaves much to be desired.
There are many other companies that specialize in printing personal book. I would be inclined to look elsewhere for my next project. However, I would encourage anyone thinking of creating an art book to give it a try - it's a real learning experience!
Which is Better?
When I grow up, should I be a General Practitioner or an Open Heart Surgeon? Actually, I never had dreams of being a either, but the question is the same - is it better to be a generalist or a specialist? The consensus often leans in the direction of being a specialist. You make more money!
The same holds true in photography. There are photogs that specialize in portraiture, architecture, fashion, editorial, weddings, etc. And then there people like the Hudson Valley photographer extraordinaire, Rick Sammon. Rick states, "My specialty is not to specialize." I like that.
If I had to choose, I'd fall into his camp. Everywhere you look, there is a photograph waiting to be taken. A story to be told, a feeling to be conveyed. And there are so many ways to do it. We have panoramas, image blending, high dynamic range, Focus Stacking, infrared, macro, light painting, etc. It's like being a kid in a candy store. Additionally, I believe that photographing different genres will make you a better photographer.
There is a wonderful saying in the East - the beginner has infinite possibilities, the master has few. I'm not sure which is best, but there is room for all of us.