Women’s Perspectives: A Captivating Reflection of Diversity and Depth

The photography exhibit “Women’s Perspectives,” offers a compelling and diverse collection of images that delve into the unique viewpoints of ten talented female photographers.  Each artist brings her own distinct style and vision to the table, showcasing a range of emotions, stories, and experiences through the lens of their cameras.  In addition to their individual photographs, the women also have a wall featuring the theme of reflections, which adds a layer of introspection and depth to the individual visual narratives presented.

As visitors journey through the exhibit, they are taken on a visual exploration of strength, vulnerability and resilience.  The juxtaposition of different styles and subjects creates a rich tapestry of storytelling that celebrates the power of women’s voices in the world of photography.

One of the photographers, Kimberly Benedetto, says that although she does not have a favorite subject matter, “I truly do enjoy photographing abandoned structures.”  Over the years she says she has found “many different subjects that pique” her interest.  She tends to photograph whatever she is “most interested in at the moment.”  One example of this can be seen in her photo entitled “Unaltered.”  Kimberly says, I wanted viewers to know that not all whimsical photos are composites.  Some exist simply because that’s the way it was when the picture was taken.”  Kimberly found the subject suspended in the air by a thin wire attached to a wooden beam, which was “an unexpected delight to photograph.”   

Sandi Osterwise, who is originally from Pittsburg, Pennslyvania, says that she always includes at least one Pittsburgh photo in her exhibits; however, this year all of her images were taken in New York State.  She took one of her photos, “Times Square,” of the Times Square Building in Rochester, New York.  The Landmark Society conducted a tour of downtown Rochester and included the opportunity for participants to go to the roof on top of the Times Square Building.  Sandi also enjoys visiting various parks in the Rochester area.  One of her photos, taken at Kershaw Park, features a fence that focuses on the fence’s shadow.  She says, “I was standing in the right position to look at it and see it differently.”

One of the photographers in the exhibit is showing several photos that focus on a question that she has been contemplating for awhile. Melissa Mance-Coniglio wonders about the interaction between wildlife and humans and asks herself “Is it a good thing or not?”  What is truly wild any more?  Her exploration of this can be seen in some of her photos; for example, she shows a mink from “the wild” interacting with items in her “human” garage after it wandered inside to explore. Is the mink’s curiosity about human things a good thing or not? Melissa’s love of animals goes back to when she was a little girl and couldn’t get enough of horses.  Her favorite photo, “Rocking Horse,” exemplifies her question: What is truly wild anymore?  She says “I loved horses as a little girl, and my eye was looking for horse subjects.  When I saw the rocking horse as it just sat there, it struck me. I thought about how much I loved to play with toy horses as a child, and the toy symbolized the domestic horse.”  It makes Melissa ponder when she thinks about how long ago all horses were wild animals, yet the relationship between humans and horses for centuries has changed tremendously.  Melissa hopes that as viewers look at her photos, they too will question “What is truly wild anymore?”

Cindy El-Gaaly is showing photos that represent moments that resonate with her personally.  Each of the images that she selected reminds her of where she was, whether alone or with friends, and the emotions she felt while looking at the scenes she photographed. Two of her photos, “Stairway to Heaven,” and “Rainbow Falls at Watkins Glen State Park,” were taken on the same day.  She says that they “represent a victory” for her.  A year prior when she had attempted to hike at Watkins Glen Gorge, she found that she was physically unable to hike even a short distance.  She says, “I knew if I wanted to enjoy photography into retirement, I’d have to get in better shape to do so.”  After working out she became strong enough to make the hike and capture the images that she “had dreamed of.”  Cindy says, “I hope that viewers will open their eyes to see there is beauty everywhere you look, and everyone should open their eyes and soak it all in.”

Margy Meath, like Cindy, also chose images that captured specific experiences that left an impact on her.  She says, “I distinctly remember the moment when each of these images was taken, and as I reflect on them, I am struck by the fact that each represents a period of transition.”  One example is her photo “Autumn Patience,” which she took in Vermont.  She had gone out to a favorite pond that she likes to photograph in early morning. The pond was completely fogged in, but she could see that there were vibrant colors on the edge of the pond.  She waited a long time for the sun to burn off the fog, and she says it paid off.  “As the sun got higher, the fog started to lift, and the colors were incredible.”  She likes that the final result still includes a fair amount of fog and says “It leaves the viewer wondering what else will appear as the sun continues to warm the air and dissipate the fog.”

Another nature lover is Martha Price, who says “My images in the show represent my love of wildlife and nature photography.”  She emphasizes “Spending time in nature brings me peace and happiness.”  She is proud of her photo entitled “Short Ears, Big Eyes,” that she photographed while the Short-eared Owl was sitting on a post.  She says the bird “was kind enough to pose in the sun, and I even captured the catch lights in the big owl eyes.”  Martha’s image on the Reflections theme wall, “Long Lake Sunrise,” is a photo taken at Long Lake in the Adirondacks last summer.  It was at sunrise when she took it from a kayak.  She says that she hopes the image “conveys the peace I felt there.”

Diane Dersch, a photograher who also loves nature, typically takes photos outdoors. For this exhibit, she decided to include mainly images that she photographed locally, but she also included one from a trip to England.  “Dixter House” was taken on a photo tour during this trip.  She says that the photo “captures the essence of English architecture as well as their love of flowers,” both of which she thoroughly enjoys. 

Patty Ulrich Singer enjoys taking a variety of different types of photos, including nature, wildlife, landscape and travel scenes.  She says she was delighted on one of her journeys when she found the subject for her favorite image, “Golden Hour at Cape Enrage, New Brunswick.”  Patty says, “We were headed to the Cape Enrage Lighthouse when we came across a rocky beach at sunset. It was a surprise that we were not expecting.”  After finding such a beautiful scene, Patty says that they stopped, enjoyed and reflected as they looked around at nature’s beauty. Patty hopes that when viewers see her photos, they will walk away with the message to stop and smell the roses; take time to really look and enjoy what you see.

When visitors come to Image City, they will see one wall of the gallery covered with photos that represent the group’s reflection theme.  Each year Donna LaPlante enjoys the theme segment of the Women’s Perspective Exhibit. Even though the selected photos for the theme are chosen individually, Donna says that “it turns more into a group project, and I really love everyone’s interpretation of the theme.  For this year’s Reflections theme, Donna chose to include her photo called “Charlotte Beach Dragon Clouds.”  She says, “Rochester had a couple of days with huge clouds that reminded me of the dragon type clouds you might see in the Far East.”  Donna said that since this was happening during the work week, she had to figure out a way to get out to Charlotte to take some photos. “On the second day I walked into my boss’s office and told her that I needed to leave and get some pictures.”  Donna was delighted that her boss allowed her to go, and she is proud of the image she was able to photograph.

Another photographer with a fascinating interpretation of the Reflection theme is Joyce Freitas.  Her image, “Fall Reflections,” captures the essence of fall trees mirrored in a tranquil body of water, transforming the familiar landscape into a mesmerizing display of shapes and colors. The distorted reflections create a dreamlike quality, blurring the line between realty and illusion as the trees’ vibrant hues merge and intertwine on the water’s surface.

“Women’s Perspectives” is a thought-provoking and visually stunning exhibit that showcases the talent and creativity of these ten remarkable women.  It is a testament to the diversity and depth of their perspectives, inviting viewers to see the world through their eyes and experience the beauty and complexity of life in a new light.  The exhibit is on display at Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue, from April 16- May 12.