The 16th annual Magic of Light 2023 Show at Image City Photography Gallery features 76 photographers who were juried into the show. One of the award-winning photographers is David Ridley who started developing his interest in photography when he hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1977. At that time he was shooting Kodachrome 64 color slides with a Kodak Pony Rangefinder.
David’s photo entitled Dichotomy Series #4 received the Lumiere Photo Award provided by Lumiere Photo (https://www.lumierephoto.com). This photo is part of a series of photos that David photographed several years ago at one of his past workplaces. David says, “I was amazed at the interesting and unique shapes, form, line and texture that I found.” The title is a play on the contrast between the substance and the genre of the photo.
David likes to photograph ordinary subject matter that most people pass by or overlook. He attempts to transcend the subject matter by moving in tightly, while abstracting and taking the subject out of context. When inspiration moves him, David says he goes to a quiet place, keeps an open mind and becomes one with the subject. Rather than force a subject, he “lets the subject speak” to him, while “being patient.”
David seeks inspiration from a variety of sources including “the changing light, every day experiences, the good and vulnerable earth, poetry and music; especially the free form and improvisation of jazz.”
David’s background includes enjoying the works of Henry David Thoreau, whose relationship with nature and transcendentalism have been a strong influence on his approach and work in photography. He admires the unique abstracts captured by Aaron Siskind and the photography of Dan Neuberger. His favorite photography/art books include Concerning the Spiritual in Art, by Wassily Kandinsky and Beauty in Photography, by Robert Adams.
Two other award-winning photos in the Magic of Light Exhibition include Megan Crandlemire’s photo entitled Flower Power, which received the Archival Methods Award (https://www.archivalmethods.com) and David Bleich’s Silver Wall, which received the Image City Award.
To read more about each of the award-winning photos, visit the Image City site: Image City Magic of Light 2023