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Image City Photography Gallery
Newsletter #122 September 15, 2017
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For a web page version of the Newsletter, Click Here
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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.
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The current exhibit is Rochester at Large by Gallery Partner, Sheridan Vincent
featuring his photographs of the Rochester Region, its parks, and quiet places. An exhibit in the Neuberger Gallery is by David Braitsch and Tom Kredo, Guest photographers are Jim Dusen, Sheila Nelson, Patty Ulrich Singer, and Robert Welch. Also exhibiting their work are Gallery Partners and Artists-in-Residence Dick Bennett, Carl Crumley, Steve Levinson, Gil Maker, Don Menges, Jim Patton, Betsy Phillips, John Solberg, Gary Thompson, and Phyllis Thompson.
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Click here to see the details of the exhibit. The exhibit runs through Sunday, October 1. There is no admission fee at Image City and the Gallery is accessible to all.
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Peter Marr's Picks of the Exhibit
After reviewing the photographs in the current exhibit Peter Marr selected two of his favorites and has written a commentary on why he made the selections. This is a popular feature of Image City exhibits, visitors enjoy reading Peter's insightful comments while viewing the photos. Partners have also made several additional selections for this show.
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Bausch & Lomb by Tom Kredo This fascinating and memorable image has been creatively seen and captured by the artist, resulting in a strong visual statement of architectural forms and designs. The ground floor Atrium is largely constructed of metal and glass which culminates in a cupola with a small spire. It is this top structure which Tom has photographed against part of the imposing edifice of the main Bausch and Lomb building. The latter has formal geometric horizontal and vertical designs in sharp contrast to the cupola, which displays the powerful compositional effects of diagonal lines and patterns. The strong ambient illumination, probably from early evening light, reveals the shaded background bathed in warm brown and beige tones with the windows taking on bluish hues, and interestingly, there are delicate shadow patterns which helps break up the symmetry of the building's facade. The cupola itself is composed of metal elements that support the glass windows. At the base, the windows are rectangular and angled to let more light into the interior, followed by a smaller vertical section, and eventually an angled window section that is capped by a small white spire. The windows on the shaded side of the cupola reveal glimpses of complex design features of the inside of the Atrium, together with abstract reflections of external buildings in the upper windows. Once again, the warm hues in the reflections provide visual continuity with the bluish windows and background colors, although the color palette is somewhat restricted. The overall effect of the top of the Atrium photographed framed against the side of the main building is both powerful and enlightening, made all the more striking by the contrast between the rhythmic interplays of architectural styles. Peter Marr
Tuned Tone by Sheridan Vincent
Sheridan's superb exhibition beautifully illustrates his love of the subject matter, and his intense desire to communicate at a non-verbal level to express the joy of life. Although everyone will see the images differently, I hope that viewers will relax their minds of all things around them and enjoy all of the prints that Sheridan has on display, prints that personify his undeniable creativity and passion for photography. There have been many outstanding pictures of downtown Rochester that incorporate the Frederick Douglas-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge, several of them by Sheridan himself, but they are almost all in color. None of them can surpass the author's "Black and White" rendition, entitled Tuned Tone, it seems so right that as a master observer and interpreter, Sheridan has "steel-toned" the image to match and emphasize every feature of this Bridge's incomparable structure. The elegant steel tri-span arches gracefully and effortlessly traverse the Genesee river, proudly revealing some of the prominent Rochester buildings that are highlighted against the dark clouds and night sky. The absence of color strongly enhances the sense of light and shadow detail, added to which the artist has amazingly added subtle colors to some areas as evidenced in the sidewalk and some background sections. The crowning touch was the substitution of orange hues to the floats that are stretched in a line across the river. The latter are a warning to boats that there are unsafe obstacles ahead, namely a weir, and the addition of the orange color to the buoys enhances the warning, and provides an inspiring foreground feature to this uplifting panorama. The observer can scan upstream of the Genesee River and at the line of orange floats, look up and take in and enjoy every detail of this majestic image. The "steel toning" enhances every feature of the bridge, and if that were not enough, there is an important added dimension, in that the print is face mounted in acrylic media, and resplendently custom-framed by Jason Campbell, in a steel-like design that complements Sheridan's masterpiece to perfection. Peter Marr
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Maple: Between Pine and Pond by Sheridan Vincent In this exceptional exhibition, this image is one of my favorite pieces. Trees represent a sense of splendor and strength, and the soft ambient lighting creates a mood and atmosphere reflective of the sacredness of the environment and the calming and soothing presence of nature. This print is filled with quiet emotion, and the more that I look at it, I am reminded of a quotation from Robinson Jeffers, namely, It is only a little planet, but how beautiful it is." It is well known that the camera is only seeing what you see, but if you don't see anything in the first place, you can't photograph it. Sheridan not only saw this majestic image, he captured it in such a sublime manner that nature itself would have been proud of the result. One is aware of a forest of pines, many in select groupings of two and threes, but all of them have their purposeful place. Tall and stately, each one of the pines is reaching as far as possible into the sky in order to receive maximum light for their branches and vegetation. In contrast, the maple tree, to successfully grow and compete for space and light, must do so at the very edge of the pond, a situation that is uncommon and uncomfortable for this species. But succeed it has, its multiple trunks thrusting its branches far and wide, creating a powerful yet graceful canopy filled with glorious patterns of leaves and branches. The lovely quiet sunshine is inspirational in supporting a cascade of light yellow and greens on the maple tree, yet definitive enough to enhance the greys and brown of the pine trees and helping to define their ordered presence in the forest glade. In this quiet light where the mood and atmosphere is enchanting, there is an added bonus of a lovely reflection of the trees in the pond. Only the tree trunks of both species are visible, but it beautifully supports the rest of the image above water. What nature wonderfully displays here is that competing species for land and light can live in harmony, especially here where a single maple tree has adapted successfully to live and thrive in a forest of pines, albeit at the very edge of the pond, and the artist has captured this momentous occasion with an image of great beauty that should inspire all of us. As a footnote, I can't help feeling that this small vertical print, hung on a wall all by itself, is proud to be a significant member of this exhibition, surrounded as it is by large panoramic displays. Peter Marr
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Partners' Picks of the Exhibit
Gallery Partners have picked five of their favorite photographs by the Guest Photographers in the exhibit, our choice for "Partners' Picks".
Exam Time-Syracuse University
by Dave Braitsch Dramatic geometry coupled vibrant color make this a very striking photograph. The angular staircase against the red-orange wall is reinforced by the black outlines of the rectangular windows and the circular shapes on the wall. A veritable feast for the eyes. One's eyes are drawn immediately to the two figures in the photograph, making for a strong counterpoint. Interpretation is wide open to the viewer...the one person walking up the stairs bent over; isolation of another kind. One could sit in front of this photograph and compose a narrative about these two people in addition to just admiring the human geometry of each and the geometry of the entire composition. Great photographs do more than depict a pretty scene, and Dave's photograph does this very effectively
Row Boats by Jim Dusen Once again Jim has provided a wonderful selection of photographs to view in the current show. The photograph Row Boats have been selected as it imparts a feeling of stillness, waiting for the day to begin. This captures a strong emotion of starting into the day with its unknown potential. The early morning fog rising as the sun comes up behind the scene, bringing up illumination from behind the tree. A truly rapidly changing time at the dock. The fog hides the edges of the water in the background, soon to be changed to sunlit times with folks taking the boats out for a pleasant excursion. Jim uses repetition of the docks and the boats and their shape to create a strong graphic look to the photograph. This is coupled with a great range of grays which further contribute to this image's quality.
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Street Portrait #1 by Sheila Nelson There are several genres of street photography. Many of them involve subjects that have no idea that you are photographing them. Another variety might include those that are aware, but they are so involved with the activity around them they care little about the photographer. Finally, there are street portraits, like this one, that are all about the camera being in their face. Sheila had prepared herself before taking this photograph. There was a dialog where she and her subject established a simple bond. Perhaps Sheila noticed the logo on his cap and mentioned to him that he might be a Yankee fan. Maybe she simply told him he had an interesting face. Regardless, she developed a rapport that convinced this man to say yes when she asked to take his portrait. Everyone has a story they want to share; some in words and some in images. This image is dark, but it is not sinister. Sheila successfully captured an expression that looks deep into this man's eyes as she coaxed a grin on his face. In that moment, Sheila created a bond that they might both remember for a long time. Certainly, Sheila has this photograph to remind her of this experience.
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West Quoddy Head Light, Lubec, Maine
by Patty Ulrich Singer The soft ocean breeze on your face, a smell of fresh salt water, the sounds of morning awakening on the shore, the colors of the dawn and the suppressed taste in your mouth of a Maine Lobster later that day. All this and more, Patty Ulrich Singer has captured in her photo, West Quoddy Head Light, Lubec Maine.Patty carefully chose a position to photograph West Quoddy. She has a clear foreground, middle ground and background creating depth in a two-dimensional format. The image is framed on the left by the tallest of the flowers and on the right by the corner of the blockhouse that keeps the eye in the space provided by Patty. The shades of reds and pinks in portion of the photos complement and enhance each other. The vertical lines of the flowers match the light tower and the American flag to the right of the image. The flowers just in front of the building do not block its view as the higher flowers might have. In fact, it's interesting to note that the red flowers end almost at the end of the house as if they were planted intentionally.All in all, this is a very fine portrait of the easternmost point of the United States, demonstrating Patty's keen eye and skillful artistry as a photographer.
Quiet Glen by Robert Welch This is a beautiful photograph whose title is a perfect description of what the viewer sees. The trees and rocks along the side of the stream set a wonderful vantage point. You can almost touch the water in the foreground all the way to the woods in the background with light streaming in through the trees.This light streams through the trees at the same angle as the valley wall. The muted, almost pastel colors reinforce the "quiet of the glen".This is a wonderful photograph to hang on your wall and look at whenever you want to step into a world of serenity, beauty and calm.
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Image City Critique Group Meets October 4
The next assignment for the group is Shutter Speed. You are to use a very fast of
very slow shutter speed to create some unique and artistic images. Of course this requires something be moving to get the effect we are after. Please try both methods and bring your 3-4 BEST images with you to the next meeting, Wednesday, October 4th, starting at 6:30PM. Contact Don Menges for additional information.
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Calendar of Events
Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue
October 1, Last Day of Rochester at Large
October 3, Opening day next exhibit by David Bleich
October 4, 6:30 pm Image City Critique Group
October 6, 5 - 8:30 pm, Reception and First Friday for Exhibit by David Bleich
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.
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