| Image City Photography Gallery
Newsletter |
| Issue: # 21 |
August 30, 2009 |
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We take this opportunity to let you know about our exhibits with a brief newsletter describing the shows, passing along some photo tips and other items of interest. We will also enjoy pointing out some exceptional photographs for you. We hope you enjoy it and have an opportunity to visit each of our 13 shows at Image City in 2009. This newsletter is a bit longer than usual because of the special circumstances of our current show. |
| Portfolio Showcase 2009 - Sponsored by Lumiere Photo |
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Current Show Runs Through Sunday, September 6
 Portfolio Showcase 2009 sponsored by Lumiere Photo, had a wonderful opening reception where Bill Edwards, President of Lumiere Photo, presented the awards to the photographers of the eight selected portfolios. Bill suprised the recipients with two special edition, hard-bound books that featured all of the selected portfolios.
In their own words, enjoy some comments from the artist statements by the selected photographers:
Matthias Boettrich - "I crew on a sailboat.... my camera is stowed in the stern well, and though my hands are often engaged, when possible I try to capture a few of the fleeing images."
Robert Clemens - "A bit of unintended self-revelation took place when I viewed the final selection of images for my portfolio submission. I realized that it represents an eclectic overview of both my professional and post-retirement photographic careers....
Chris Kogut - "taken from my body of work entitled "A Leap of Faith - a collection of digital photographs from Myanmar... the portfolio of images are dedicated to them -- those who have taken the ultimate 'leap of faith' to resettle here in the United States and to those who remain in Myanmar...
Susan C. Larkin - "with the help of a program called Helicon Focus, I can increase the depth of field..... in the winter my photographs are black-and-white.... tendrils, seeds, and husks have lost their summer color, but retain amazing structure and texture."
Rick Mearns - with "the opportunity to visit the Palouse region of Eastern Washington and Western Idaho....It was a day to remember. The scattered clouds punctuated the intense blue producing changing patterns of shadow and light on the earth below..... produced 'the light' that photographers live for."
Daniel J. Nolan - "We made our first trip to the Caribbean in April 1985...It would be difficult to pick a favorite island, but these are some that we enjoyed the most. There is something for everyone in the Caribbean."
Tim Schulze - "My hope is that when you view my photographs, you come away with not only a sense of that time in America's past, and the photographic devices that help record those times. I also hope that you will recall those noble little machines that helped you.... record the events of your life.
Ted Tatarzyn - "the majority of these images were captured during my 2007 visit to Antarctica, completing a lifelong seven continent journey. Included are close-up photographs of Black-Browed Albatross and King Penguins...."
We round out the show with photographs by Artists-in-Residence Gil Maker, Jim Patton, and David Perlman as well as Gallery Partners: Daniel P. Crozet, Joel Krenis, Don Menges, Dan Neuberger, Betsy Phillips, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, Sheridan Vincent, and George Wallace. Photographers Glenn Alexander, Pat Cain, and Beth Schrader from Lumiere Photo are also exhibiting work in the show. Twenty-three photographers offer you an extremely diverse collection of exceptional photographs. For full details of the show click here. To see a preview, check out our "Preview of the Show" link and also Peter's Picks link. |
| Portfolio Showcase 2009, the Book |
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| All Photographs from Portfolio Showcase 2009 Available in the Book
 One of the exciting aspects of the Portfolio Showcase 2009 exhibit is that all of the photographs displayed during this show at Image City are included in the book produced for the show. Each of the selected photographers' portfolios as well as Image City and Lumiere Photo photographers have contributed to a wonderfully produced book. The design and layout of the book was done by Katherine Denison of Lumiere Photo, where the book was printed and bound. Lumiere Photo was the sponsor for the Portfolio Showcase 2009 and they also did the printing and framing for several of the selected portfolios. The book is available at Image City for $15 or five books for $50. It would be great addition to your library of photography books and your purchase would also help support the Gallery! |
| Picks of the Show |
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| Peter Marr Picks his Favorites from the Exhibit
In a regular feature for our newsletter, each show we invite Peter Marr to pick his favorite photographs from the work of the featured photographers. Peter always has quite a challenge with so many exceptional photographs to consider and it was especially the case in this show with so many fine photographs. Excerpts from Peter's discussion are included here, but, you will want to go to the webpage link to see larger images and the full write-up; or better yet, stop by the gallery to see the exceptional photographs.
Peter selected Matthias Boettrich's Sailing Lake Ontario, at left, commenting "the setting is magical, resplendently seen and captured by the photographer. We marvel at the vibrant colors of the sails as they reach for every breath of wind."
Robert Clemens' "At the Dog Show" caught Peter's eye writing "this dramatic moment has been exquisitely seen and captured by the author. This hilarious print could, and should, grace any photographic magazine or gallery for all to admire and be humored by."
 Chris Kogut's Orphan is praised by Peter "of all of Chris Kogut's outstanding images, this is the one that was most meaningful to me. Not only is it a superb photograph, it has sadness and poignancy that captures eloquently, passionately, and emotionally the plight of the people of Myanmar."
 Selecting Susan C. Larkin's photograph, at right, Peter commented that it "shows us the beauty and intricacies of nature in a different and most illuminating way. We can certainly marvel at natures abstraction, and in Monkshood we see a picture of sublime beauty and melodious emotion."
 For Rick Mearn's Palouse #1, Peter felt that "This is an impressive landscape, beautifully seen and captured. The color palette is outstanding, encompassing rich saturated hues all the way to delicate pastels, a great example of light and color dancing together." 
In Daniel J. Nolan's Beach Pals, Antigua, at right, Peter praised "this is a superb example of spontaneity, plus a little luck of course, but certainly illustrates that taking epicures is savoring life intensely, every 1/100th of a second."
Peter chose Tim Schulze's An Inauguration for a King, at left, "an extremely telling dramatic image that draws our attention to racial equality in a very original and powerful way. Obviously a great deal of thought and planning went into this picture....."
The eighth Peter's Pick, Adelie Penguin, Rainbow Sky and Icicles, "is a truly memorable picture that reflects both the austerity and beauty of this hostile world. The glacial icicles, the dramatic blue ice, ... the gorgeous soft reflective light, the warm pastel colors in the sky all culminating in the presence of a solitary, majestic Adelie Penguin."
You can read the full review that Peter has written for each of the eight selected photographs on the Image City website, click here. We also have the Peter's Picks commentary on display near each of the photographs. There you will have the best impressions when you see the photograph in the gallery setting along with the full review.
We again thank Peter Marr, who, with assistance by his wife, does such a wonderful job for this feature of our gallery and had a real challenge with so many great photographs. |
| Gary Thompson's Photo Tip of the Month |
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Double Exposure
 I have often said it is the quality of light that initially motivates me to take a photograph. However, sometimes the light is quite ordinary and I find an interesting subject that begs to be captured photographically. Even though I might feel an emotional attachment to a subject, shooting under the conditions of ordinary light generally produces an ordinary image.
A technique I learned years ago from an excellent photographer, Doug Shumacher, is to capture the ambiance of a subject by taking a double exposure. Use one exposure to provide motion or emotion and the other exposure to capture the essence of the subject matter. One hazy, lazy day of summer I was hoping to photograph the old somewhat decrepit schooners marooned in the waters of the Sheepscot River, near Wiscasset, Maine. A look at the schooners and it was obvious that they had survived beyond their practical usefulness. Even though they were well grounded onto the bottom of the river, their masts and bodies protruded high above the surface of the water. Their rough, rustic appearance indicated that they had participated fully in history.
To subtlely capture the mystery element of the schooners, I first took a macro image of an aesthetic section of wood grain, under exposing it by 1.33 stops below my camera's recommended meter reading. For the second image on the same frame of film, I recomposed a general landscape image that included the schooners, and used an exposure of 0.67 stops under the recommended meter reading. The two under exposures add up to one full exposure, but not evenly. The result is that the wood grain of the first image lightly and mystically flows over the more discernable scene of the schooners. I entitled the image Ghost Ships of Wiscasset. A year or two later the two ships in reality became ghosts as they were destroyed in an act of vandalism.
Some of the newer digital cameras are capable of shooting in-camera multiple exposures. If your camera does not have this capability, you can use Photoshop or other programs to derive a similar multiple exposure effect.
Click Here to see a larger version of Ghost Ships of Wiscasset as well as all of the tips and example photos from Gary Tips over the last months.
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| Additional Photographs on Display with High-Resolution Monitor |
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| We Selected Our Two Favorites from Each entry
The Portfolio Showcase 2009 competition set a high standard for acceptance. It required entrants to submit a body of work, consisting of eight images that were individually and collectively strong.
Judging artwork, especially in the form of a portfolio collection, is never an exact science. The sheer magnitude of close to 1000 images to peruse was a daunting task for the panel of the four Judges. The panel was able to integrate their individual perspectives into a collective decision that now provides us with an end result of which all can be proud.
We wish to recognize the enthusiasm and pride exhibited by all the contestants in submitting their work and the overall quality of the submissions. Presented on the video monitor is a "Best of submissions" with two of the best pictures from each submission.... A kind of "Dream Portfolio 2009". We hope that you'll enjoy it.
If you are interested by any specific picture in the video show, please note its number as it appears on the screen and contact one of the Partner of the Gallery.
Daniel P. Crozet
Chairman Portfolio Showcase 2009
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| Calendar |
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Image City Photography Gallery
September 6, 2009 Last day of Portfolio Showcase 2009 featuring selected portfolios by Matthias Boettrich, Robert Clemens, Chris Kogut, Susan C. Larkin, Rick Mearns, Daniel J. Nolan, Tim Schulze, and Ted Tatarzyn.
September 9, 2009 First day of the show Rochester Mosaic by Sheridan Vincent
September 11, 2009 Artists' Reception, Rochester Mosaic 5 - 8:30pm
September 12 and 13, 2009 M&T Bank Clothesline Festival at Memorial Art Gallery, stop by Image City while you are in the neighborhood!!
Image City Photography Gallery
Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11 - 7, Sunday Noon - 4 |
| Contact Information |
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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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