All images copyright by the individual photographers

	America through a German’s Eye by Matthias Finke Striking views of scenic America have been beautifully captured, printed and framed by Matthias Finke. These lovely landscapes are wonderfully enriched by more intimately detailed images, exemplified by the superb color palette and the powerful graphic representations of both “Lobster Buoys” and “Choice Doors”. The latter print is hauntingly mirrored and uplifted in the two images of Daly City, where Matthias’s artistic eye has stunningly captured two complementary glimpses of this municipality. Daly City and Daly City Disarranged For my number one choice of an outstanding image from Matthias Finke’s exhibition, I have chosen a different type of landscape for the viewer to explore, combining a rich colorful, graphic overlook of a segment of this city, with an equally colorful and graphic detail of essentially the rear view of a select number of houses and tenements.   Here, so stunningly captured we experience a compression of living and working space, the claustrophobic juxtaposition of houses, businesses, roads, vehicles, poles, wires, etc. so little free space so little green areas, so little breathing room. Yet the photographer has also eloquently captured the graphic beauty of a part of this city.  From this crowded metropolis we see bold rich and earthy color, very strong design, especially in the flowing shapes of the tenement building.  These two prints give the viewer an extraordinary insight into the life, the harshness, yet vibrancy and beauty of a memorable American city.
	Lichen & Rocks, Abbott, Maine by Peter Sucy The delightful set of prints by Peter Sucy beautifully shows how digital techniques, elegantly and tastefully used, can strikingly enhance an image. All of his pictures have a wonderfully artistic and vibrant quality, and I was particularly drawn to the “Lichen & Rocks” print.  Along with the strong graphic design, the superb use of dramatic, bold coloration makes this image almost leap out of the frame. We could be looking at a small rock detail, or part of a massive geological formation, but the high visual impact is the same. The bold diagonal slashes complement so well the vertical thrusts of the rocks, with your eye invariably coming back to the small, bright yellow lichen. Yet such is  the power of the overall image, your eye does not stay with this yellow lichen, for the viewer wants to continually take in and explore every nook and cranny, every nuance of these  formations, every shadow and color change, every detail of this delightful scene.  The blue and yellow shades interact and blend so harmoniously, giving us a superb overall image to timelessly explore.  Color and texture have been enhanced by digital techniques, but these “manipulations” only serve to enrich, intensify and augment nature itself to the artistic and photographic skills of the author.
	Warsaw Barbican  by Joel Krenis The archival digital prints of scenes from Poland and Hungary are dramatic and powerful images. The use of bold sharpening, added color and other digital techniques, in particular with the “View from the Charles Bridge” may dismay some purists, but no one can deny the strength, power and visual quality of this excellent print.  In contrast, the “Warsaw Barbican” has been magically captured by the author, giving us an exquisite image of this part of the city.  The winter setting greatly enhances the scene, emphasizing the warm glow of the brickwork against the snow, the soft colors of the building against the sky, and the lovely soft lighting all combine dramatically to give us a stunning visual record.   The strong diagonals of the path through the snow, the walkway with small groups of people, and the bold framing by the stone abutment, all contribute in their own way to a lovely tranquil scene, beautifully seen, photographed and printed.