Ken Mason, who is currently exhibiting several photos in the Neuberger Gallery at Image City Photography Gallery, has always enjoyed taking photos. After he retired, he became more interested in pursuing his hobby.
Ken especially enjoys walking through nature as he looks for lighting, patterns, colors and shapes to find appealing subjects. He also looks for similar items when photographing wildlife in their natural settings or in zoos.
Ken says that he typically photographs when the “mood strikes” him. For example, when he knows that there will be a particular orientation of the sun or moon with a subject that will yield a desired effect. He often waits for the right convergence of his chosen location and the location of the sun to get the right lighting that he wants for his envisioned images.
Since Ken has not had any formal training in photography, he relies on his career as an optical design engineer and some work in image science. He is pursuing some formal training that he hopes might enhance his current knowledge of technique and composition.
In Ken’s exhibit, the photos that he chose to display fall into three categories. The first shows a different view on structure in nature and in manmade objects. He created these by mathematically turning the images inside out. He says, “this gives a unique view of structural features.” His photo entitled Branches, which received a Gallery Pick recognition, is an example of this different view of patterns. As one stares at this image, the intricate patterns within a sea of trunks can be seen next to the works of man that are interwined with the tree.
The second set of images shows how Ken enhances the existing subtle colors in nature. He explains, “the colors are there, but subtly.” He says he enhanced his images by increasing the saturation of the existing colors. His image entitled Stream 1 is an example of this. The stream is in Buttermilk Falls State Park. The stream bed has an orange-red tint and the deeper water has a green tone. The colors can be seen with the unaided eye, but because they are subtle when viewed in person, they may not be noticed. He decided to saturate the existing colors to create an impressionistic feeling and bring out some of the subtle aspects of nature.
Ken’s third set of images illustrates how he shows nature and creatures with no alterations. The Insect and Squirrel images show creatures in their natural environment, simply being creatures.
In addition to traditional framing in this exhibit, Ken’s choice of presenting some images in a circular shape, printed on metal, intensifies the beauty of the scene.
Ken’s exhibit will be on display until May 14, 2023.