News of the current exhibit and events at Image City
For a webpage version of the newsletter Click Here
Our Newsletter publishes during each of our exhibits to pass along information and reviews of the exhibit, selected images and news of participation opportunities at Image City.  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.
For the Love of Nature by Clyde Comstock
Current Show Runs Through Sunday, July 9
First Friday Gallery Night, July 7, 5 - 9 pm

Our current exhibit is For the Love of Nature, by Clyde Comstock. Like many photographers, Clyde's interest grew from his youthful college days. He built a darkroom in his dorm room and it progressed from black-and-white, to color and to digital, now working in both black-and-white and color. His exceptional view of nature covers both wildlife and landscapes from across the United States and travels to Europe. He describes his vision -- "I try to isolate specific slices of the natural world so that we can carefully examine a beautiful creature or the lines and light in a transitory natural landscape or the emotions in the faces of a family". His stunning owl photographs in the exhibit are clearly an accomplished favorite subject of his. Clyde recently retired from Hillside Family of Agencies and he thanks them for the support of his exhibit at Image City.
 
The additional photographers participating in the exhibit are Peter Mahan, Lucia Guarino, as well as award-winning photographers from Camera Rochester competitions: Bev Cronkite, Archie Curry, Stanley Hattman, Jeno Horvath, Anthony Paladino, and Elaine Schmidt. We have also held over photographs from the last exhibit by Dan Neuberger, in our newly-named Neuberger Gallery. Rounding out the exhibit is work by Gallery Partners and Artists-in-Residence, Dick Bennett, Carl Crumley, Steven Levinson, Gil Maker, Don Menges, Jim Patton, David Perlman, Betsy Phillips, John Solberg, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson and Sheridan Vincent.
 
Plan to attend First Friday Gallery Night on July 7  from 5 to 9 pm. Our receptions are great opportunities to view the art, discuss it with the attending artists, and to invest in their photographsClick Here  to see our webpage for show details and a preview of photographs in the exhibit.    
Partners' Picks

After reviewing the photographs in the current exhibit, Gallery Partners selected four favorites and have written a commentary on why he made the selections. This is a popular feature of Image City exhibits, visitors enjoy reading the insightful comments while viewing the photos. Also check out the next article for a Pick of one of Dick Bennett's photos.

 
Shepherd's Hut, Italian Alps   by Clyde Comstock Clyde is sharing with us a wonderful collection of images, but Shepherd's Hut is so well composed that I admit it's my favorite. The first thing I feel when I look at this image is how dimensional it is. The layering begins with the light straw in the foreground and proceeds through the green grass, the "hut", the trees, the valley, the Alps, and finally the sky! It made me feel as if I could put my hands on the matt and launch myself right into the scene. I can feel the cool in my lungs as I breath in fresh mountain air. I want to go right up to the hut and open the doors. Other than the layering, many of those important photographic elements are contained in this image. The foreground land makes a really nice diagonal line the parallels the line the mountain makes off in the distance. The fence posts create another line in the opposite direction leading us to the hut. The trees on both sides of the hut frame it nicely. The dark mountains with the foreboding sky set the scene as a comfortable light from behind the photographer illuminate the scene. Technically this image could be used for classroom instruction, but the really important factor here is how it makes me feel. Photographs should make the viewer react in some manner. This one does exactly that.


Green Iguana in Full Colors   by Clyde Comstock -- Clyde has done a marvelous job of capturing the amazing colors present in the scales of the iguana. The key to a good photograph of an animal is being sure the camera's focus is on the eye, and in this case Clyde nailed the focus perfectly. Nearly as important to a good animal photograph is to properly expose the image so no loss of detail occurs in the lighter parts yet darker areas show good detail as well. In this case Clyde's exposure is spot on. This image displays a strong use of diagonal lines that makes for a pleasing composition. By leaving the animal at an angle it implies motion as though the iguana is moving across the frame. Choosing not to include all the animal in the photograph gives the viewer a better look at the detail that would be missing if a wider composition had been chosen. This is an excellent example of Clyde's skill at capturing the beauty and complexity of animals and he is to be congratulated for making this wonderful photograph like so many he has produced for this exhibit.
 
Untitled Number 3  by Lucia Falsetti Guarino -- Some of the best photographs are not always "easy" to understand, they do not provide a simple story rather they ask questions which are unanswered. This is such a photograph. The viewer looks through a fence separating him/her from a pair of dogs in motion. Then in the foreground are a series of small religious statues, seemingly carefully placed among the stones, including a carved plate. They are initially out of place, but then we think are they there as some sort of memorial and if so to what?  Why are they separated from the racing dogs by a fence?  What is the meaning of juxtaposing dogs, religious medals, etc. in the same photograph? A barren landscape is beyond the fence and the racing dogs, which bring a strong sense of movement into the image. The use of Black and White really focuses one on looking at the components of the image, not being distracted by color.  What is great about this photograph is that it challenges the viewer to create their own story. It would be interesting to gather the impressions of say a half a dozen people after seeing this photograph and comparing the disparate views.
 

Dick Bennett Pick
Stop in During the Jazz Fest

As a part of the current exhibit, Dick Bennett, Gallery Partner, has a series of photos taken last year at the Rochester International Jazz Fest.  You will see him and other photographers out enjoying the music and photographing the festivities over the next nine days. If you are downtown and need a break, be sure to stop in and see the current show at Image City (sorry, we only have Pandora playing). Here is a photo from Dick's exhibit, a current Pick of the Show.
 
Brass Reflection   by Dick Bennett -- It is not always necessary to show the entire subject; sometimes just selecting one portion can be more powerful than showing the whole. Dick has done this with an excellent series of photographs from the Rochester International Jazz Festival. This is one of the major Jazz festivals in the United States and Dick has chosen to show just the bell of a trumpet against a dark background. A simple image upon first glance, but it becomes far more interesting as the viewer can then see the entire concert: the audience, performers and venue in the reflections on the brass surface. So... a simple image can summarize a great deal about the overall subject, and selecting this way to invite the viewer into the entire experience of the Rochester International Jazz Festival is very successful. A set "stage" shot of a group performing makes for a good record of the event, but does not display the creativity of the photographer as Dick does with this image. 

Dan Neuberger Model Visited His Retrospectve

Recall that our last exhibit was Rule Breaker, Fun Maker a retrospective of the photography of Dan Neuberger, Gallery Partner, who passed away in January. We had a heartwarming  experience during the show and we would like to share it with you. Ms. Ada Lusardi, a Yoga Therapist and Teacher Trainer in Berkley, California came to visit Dan's show. She knew Dan and was aware that he had passed away, but didn't know about Image City Photography Gallery until she was here visiting and read about the gallery and Dan's show. Many years ago she graduated from the State University of New York in Purchase, NY with a degree in Dance Performance and Composition and afterwards was photographed by Dan posing in some of her dance positions. She was pleasantly surprised to see one of Dan's photographs of her on display and she graciously allowed gallery partner, John Solberg, to take a photo of her standing beside the photograph. The photograph had been sold, but Ms. Lusardi purchased a print of another of Dan's photos of her.
Image City Critique Group  
Next Meeting is July 5 at 6:30pm

The Image City Critique Group meets the first Wednesday of the month, the next Critique Group meets Wednesday, July 5th. The assignment is all about lines... BUT, please don't just accept any old line.  I want the image to be about the line, not leading lines necessarily. Try to be creative. In fact Google "lines in photography" and find some you like and try to emulate them.    Contact Don Menges for details. dmenges@rochester.rrcom.

  Calendar of Events
  Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue

July 4 Image City Closed for Independence Day  
July 5
Image City Critiques 6:30pm 
July 7 First Friday Gallery Night 5 - 9 pm
July 9 Last Day of For the Love of Nature by Clyde Comstock
July 11 First day of a Fur, Fins, and Feathers
  
Image City Photography Gallery Hours
 Tuesday - Saturday Noon - 6pm
Sunday Noon - 4pm
Image City will be closed July 4


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

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