I want to take a moment to thank everyone who came to the open house that launched my recent show at Manu Propria Photographic Studio, in Staunton Virginia. I especially wish to thank my family and dear friends who came to share this moment with me, as well as those who could not be there but encouraged and supported me in this endeavor!!!

I met a lot of interesting people and had a lot of fun. There is something exciting about seeing your work beautifully displayed on walls that are not your own! I also enjoyed speaking with visitors about my work and watching them move in close to look carefully at the photographs. I print them on 8×10 paper – meaning in practice they are smaller than that. I came away very encouraged and learned a lot … and in the end that is what really matters!

I encourage you to try to find a venue to display your work. However, what is most important is that you keep making meaningful photographs … those that are meaningful to you!

The show stayed up for a few weeks, than I traveled back to Staunton, Virginia and conducted the Shenandoah Valley Workshop with Richard Pippin. This too was great fun for me, and again I learned a lot. In particular, just how easily it is to make a beautiful platinum contact print … from the coating of the paper to the final print. Part of the objective of the workshop was to show participants that they could do this with little or no experience, and with a minimum of equipment — even without having a darkroom, using either the sun or a UV light source. Richard did a great job demonstrating this and removing much of the mystery and fear. While alternative processes are not for me, you can’t argue with the beautiful results!

And since we were in Staunton, we paid a visit to the really cool Camera Heritage Museum, the largest camera museum open to the public in the US. Museum Curator David Schwartz held court, showing us how camera technology has evolved over the years. This is THE camera candy store, and we saw some unique and extraordinary equipment! All I can say to you gear heads and everyone else that would like to see and touch the exquisite tools that made photography possible … this is THE place!

For me, the workshop was a test. Could I do it? Would I freeze up, or be stiff and boring? Could I motivate? In short, could I teach what I know and learn something myself?

I answered my all of my questions and achieved my goals; I hope this is the first of many workshops to come!

Stay tuned!

Let’s get together! Yes, how about getting together to chat about our photographs and the stories behind them. What was your intent in making the photograph, what were you trying to say, was it a success? If you made your print, were there any particular challenges involved?

This is not a discussion focused on gear — the idea is to share insights, get constructive feedback, learn a few things, relax and make new friends!

Well, if this sounds interesting and fun, how about joining me in beautiful downtown Doylestown, PA, in the heart of scenic Bucks County, and we will get together over a cup of coffee.

Photographers of all levels are welcome.

A total of 3-4 people is the right size. Bring only a couple of prints to discuss. Obviously the prints should be Black and White and should be film based!

The get together will be on Sunday, August 28th, 10:00-11:30am at the Zen Den coffee shop, located on ‪20 Donaldson Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.

Email or call me at 215-348-9171 if you are interested. First come first serve!

I look forward to meeting you!

While meandering around the Internet last week I accidentally stumbled across a reference to a new photography exhibit at National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Since I still have a few reasons left to go back and forth to our Nation’s capital I decided to take a drive down to see the show and take care of a few errands.

The show celebrated the merging of the NGA’s collection with that of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, which sadly ceased operations in 2014. As such, there was a good amount of Stieglitz (from the NGA) and Eadweard Muybridge (from the Corcoran) to be seen, as they formed the original foundations of the two institution’s holdings. The idea was to explore the connections between the collections, focusing on five common themes that the NGA identified in the work of the two greats — movement, sequence, narrative, studio, and identity. Works by other well-known photographers were also included.

I can’t say that it was one of my all time favorite shows – I’m sure my sadness over the now departed Corcoran had something to do with this – nevertheless it was well worth the trip from Pennsylvania to see it, as I left with several valuable takeaways.

An especially interesting theme of the show was that of narrative, where photographers combined words with their images – either hand written on the picture itself, underneath the picture area on a deliberately large white border, or completely outside of the framed picture but adjacent to it. This struck me, as I have long been a fan of photographs with accompanied text, such those by Wright Morris. The picture needs to be able to stand on its own, but some words can add useful and interesting insight into the photographer’s thought process and worldview.

Perhaps the single most stunning feature of the show for me were twenty-five black and white 4×5 contact prints by Minor White included in the sequence collection. These little jewels were portraits of two of his close friends coupled with pictures of favorite landscapes they had visited. Again, this strengthened my feeling about the power and ability of smaller prints to draw in the viewer – if, of course the images are powerful themselves.

So if you happen to be visiting our Nation’s capital, or need an excuse to do so, go ahead and make a stop at the National Gallery of Art. It’s free and a good example of our tax dollars well spent!

In my last entry, I mentioned what Michael A. Smith said at a recent lecture about the importance of using the entire space contained in the negative to good effect. Another significant point he made was the difference in how one sees vs. what one sees. This is an essential element in his working method, and it should be part of ours as well!

In a way, I touched on this a while back in my entry “More on Projects, Discovery and Not Getting Locked Into the Expected”. I talked about how much there is to see and capture if only we are open to it! That we often have something specific in mind when we go out to make pictures and how this can lock us into the expected and prevent us from unexpectedly making happy discoveries.

I believe Michael was referring to the mindset or philosophy one has to have when making a picture, because many of his images are about the nature of spatial and tonal relationships that are so important in black and white photography. In other words, how one sees vs. what one sees.

I am going to go out onto a limb and say that I think this fits into what I was talking about concerning being open to things, and so I am glad Michael and I are in agreement!!!!

Actually, what he says is a critical refinement. His is a thought process that seeks discovery of the elements that together make a great picture. Think composition. Think light. Think different tones from deepest black to glaring white. This is a vastly different approach than merely looking at something interesting and snapping the picture. While that may produce a good record of something, it is unlikely to satisfy.

In my opinion, this applies to whatever format you are using and whatever type of photography you are doing, including street, which can be pretty fast moving. Don’t believe me — go ahead and study the pictures of the great street and documentary photographers and compare them to the countless number posted daily on flickr, etc. I think you will see what I mean.