News of the current exhibit and events at Image City
For a web page version of the Newsletter, Click Here
We publish our Newsletter during each of our exhibits to pass along information and reviews of the exhibit, selected images and news of 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 the 13 shows we produce in 2017.
Portfolio Showcase 2017
Current Show Runs Through Sunday, September 3
First Friday Gallery Night, 5 - 9pm, September 1st


Our current exhibit at Image City Photography Gallery is this year's Portfolio Showcase 2017. Portfolios selected for the exhibit are by Don Agnello, Edgar Ballestas, David Braitsch, Tom Kredo, Joel Krenis, Susan C. Larkin, Steve Malloy Desormeaux, and Paul Schwedfeger. We have heard many compliments on the exhibit and the artistic creation of the awarded photographers. Congratulations to them all for their distinctive art and superb photography. The selections of the winning portfolios were made by two judges: Gunther Cartwright, Professor Emeritus of Photographic Arts and Photojournalism at the Rochester Institute of Technology, School of Photographic Arts and Sciences and Jessica Johnston, Curator of Collections and Assistant Director at Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York. We very much appreciate their efforts in making difficult decisions from so many fine entries.
The Gallery Partners awarded the portfolio by Susan C. Larkin with the Grand Prize. Each photographer received award certificates by the three sponsors of the exhibit: Rowe Photo for retail purchases, Kodak, for future printing with their NEXPRESS Press, and Kodak Alaris for silver-halide printing with iPrintFromHome.com. We very much appreciate the involvement and support of the exhibit sponsors! Check out a following article to see more examples from each of the selected photographers' portfolios.
 
An exhibit in the East Gallery by Joelle Rose features rare photographs of bridges, tunnels and decrepit buildings. Gary Paige and Myrna Paige are additional guest photographers with a fine photo series of nature and world travels.
   
Also exhibiting their work are Gallery Partners and Artists-in-Residence Dick Bennett, Carl Crumley, Steve Levinson, Gil Maker, Don Menges, Dan Neuberger, Jim Patton, Betsy Phillips, John Solberg, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, and Sheridan Vincent.

There is no admission fee at Image City and the Gallery is accessible to all. 
 
First Friday Gallery Night is on September 1st from 5 to 9 pm. Our receptions are a great opportunity to view the art and support the photographers by your discussions or even better when you invest with a purchase of their photographs.
Portfolio Showcase 2017, the Book
Copies are Available for Purchase at the Gallery!


An additional award for the eight photographers selected for the Portfolio Showcase is the superb book that was designed by Gallery Partner, John Solberg. Each of the photographs in the exhibited portfolios is reproduced in the book. Copies of the book are available for purchase for $25 at Image City. Portfolio Showcase 2017 is a fine addition to any collection of photography books.
Critique Session for Entrants of the Portfolio Showcase 2017

We very much appreciate the interest and participation of all of the photographers who entered this year's Portfolio Showcase juried show. On Saturday, August 26, from 9 to noon we are offering brief critique sessions for the entrants to meet with gallery partners who will review your portfolio with you. Several Partners will be doing the reviews and you can meet with one or more of them, depending on availability. There is no need to bring anything, we will review the images from your submitted files. There is no charge for this review. We look forward to meeting with you and to your continued interest and participation at Image City Photography Gallery.

Image City Critique Group Meets September 6

The Image City Critique Group resumes meeting again on Wednesday, September 6th at 6:30pm. The Critique Group meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month to discuss image prints by each attendee. Remember to keep working on the street photography assignment. Contact Don Menges for additional information.
Selected Portfolios, Portfolio Showcase 2017

You can see the interesting diversity of subjects and photographic styles here with a brief description of the selected portfolios with select comments from the artists' descriptions. You will want to visit to see the full portfolio and full statement by the artists in the current exhibit.
 
Architectural Abstract #8 by Don Agnello

"This series came about while traveling through some of our most modern cities. I began to notice the repetitive forms and reflective surfaces inherent in many of the high-rise structures and 'glass towers'. To my eye, they formed abstractions which I found interesting and challenging. I compose the images by isolating the repeating forms, geometrical angles, reflective surfaces, and the many incongruous shapes that can be observed in the modern urban architectural landscape  ......"










Queens Bridge Iluminated by Edgar Ballestas

"The common theme of this portfolio centers on the architectural structures that surround the East River in New York City. Each composition reflects a multilayered urban landscape. As a native New Yorker, the East River is a subject with which I have a strong and sincere connection. Along the river there are amazing views that juxtapose old against modern architectural structures...."


Gordon A. Howe Building, Rochester, NY by David Braitsch

The Upstate Region of New York is fortunate to have many historical architectural treasures. This portfolio focuses on a few that have been preserved or restored over the many years of their use and existence. The buildings highlighted in rhese photos were initially completed between 1823 (St. Luke and St. Cyrene Episcopal) and 1931 (Buffalo City Hall) ....."











Silo City #7 by Tom Kredo

Silo City, an abandoned grain silo complex in Buffalo, provides the setting for my portfolio. Over a two year period, I returned to shoot the 120-year-old buildings. There are no frills here, only cement floors and walls with unadorned windows. The silos are simple functional areas where manual laborers came and worked all day. What was once a busy and thriving hub of activity are now just shadows and graffiti. Monochrome processing is used to accentuate the feeling of abandonment and decay ....."










Ancient Wheels, Lecce, Italy by Joel Krenis

The images in my portfolio describe a variety of paths, from the more or less mundane, but interesting, to the fantastical and downright spooky. Metaphor also have a place in the selection...... Although I did not set out in advance with an eye to any unifying principle, paths and walkways are subjects that draw my attention regardless of location. It is a portfolio selected from different times and different locations -- from Germany, Italy, Lithuania, and even Highland Park in Rochester".










Passion Flower by Susan C. Larkin

"My close-ups are studies of shape, texture, patterns and light.... Most of my photographs are products of focus stacking.... I discovered a new possibility.... with a fountain pool background each image showed part of the subject in focus with little waves and bubbles caught in the water behind.... The surprise came when I combined the images to make one photograph... the water appears as swirls and patterns, not seen in the fountain pool...."



Atlantic Avenue #1 by Steve Malloy Desormeaux

"The mile-long stretch of Atlantic Avenue between University Avenue and Culver Road is a diverse multiuse area near the center of Rochester. In a few steps you can walk from industries to residences, from warehouses to restaurants, from billboards to galleries and wall art. The area is the source of much of the truck traffic and train whistles circulating through the Neighborhood of the Arts. Images in the diptychs play against each other to give a richer synthesis of a living neighborhood where culture and commerce, public and private, old and new evolve side by side".






Be still my Heart by Paul Schwedfeger

"Please take a walk with me as you visit these eight infrared images. See the beauty, feel the sorrow and experience this historical gem that is the Bonaventure Cemetery of Savannah, Georgia. It is often described as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. Combining the beauty and historical significance of this cemetery with the mystery of infrared photography results in a portfolio of haunting images. The intricately carved monuments surrounded by magnificent Live Oaks create a tableau that is perfect for the artistry of IR photography....."
Partners' Picks of the Exhibit

Gallery Partners have picked two of their favorite photographs by the Guest Photographers in the exhibit, our choice for "Partners' Picks".

Lion Pair at Sunrise, Kenya
by Gary Paige
Participating in a photo-safari is a very exciting event...seeing many animals in their natural habitat.  Making photographs of these animals that are both artistic and evocative is a challenging task.  It is often too easy to just focus on recording the subject without considering novel ways to photograph it. This photography shows a simple but very romantic view of the lion pair against the wonderful orange-red color of early morning.  The animals are peaceful, almost romantic-rather than showing the animals in their natural predator state with other animals. Showing the animal is silhouette really makes this photography sing.  The strong composition of the lions balancing the rising sun is clearly the result of waiting for the right moment to trigger the shutter.The clouds partly shield the brightness of the sun and give structure to the sky and the sun...making it a strong visual component of the photograph. This is a photograph that goes way beyond a simple "snapshot" of two beautiful animals.

 
Moments of Clarity by Joelle Rose
Using a medium format film camera Joelle makes photographs of places that are in many cases hidden from the everyday view of people.  Both going down into subterranean places, abandoned buildings and on top of bridges she captures the energy of these different places. Moments of Clarity is an amazing photograph. The vantage point is atop the Queensborough Bridge in New York City.  A daring place to be standing; made even more challenging in that she is manipulating a medium format film camera! This vantage point allowed Joelle to produce an exceptional picture of the nighttime cityscape. The curving cables leads the viewer's eye to the other side of the East River and into the magical nightlights of the city.  The reflections in the river counterbalance the view. Her vantage point view a different view of the city coupled with seeing the intricate structure of the bridge revealed by the dramatic lighting...creating the sense of a magical sky-way. 
Calendar of Events
Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue

September 1, 5-9 pm First Friday Gallery Night  Portfolio Showcase 2017
September 3, Last Day of Portfolio Showcase 2017
September 5, Opening day next exhibit Rochester at Large by Sheridan Vincent
September 6, 6:30 pm
Image City Critique Group
September 8, 5 - 8:30 pm, Reception for Rochester at Large by Sheridan Vincent
 
 
Image City Photography Gallery Hours
Tuesday - Saturday Noon - 6pm
Sunday Noon - 4pm
 
There is no admission fee to visit Image City

in the Heart of the Neighborhood of the Arts 
 where our mission is to create a quality exhibition and learning experience for photographers and the art-loving community.
Image City Photography Gallery | 722 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 | 585.472.2540  info@ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com | www.ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com