For the past three months visitors to Image City have had the opportunity to view the captivating photos created by Visiting Artist, Megan Crandlemire. Megan, who is journalistic by nature, says she wanted to “entertain the viewer by telling a story with each show.” Megan’s first display centered around a trip to Phoenix and a houseboating adventure on disappearing Lake Powell in northern Arizona. She created a book in tandem with planning the first show, and she included it in her exhibit. Her second show focused on NYC street photography and her “quirky take on Fashion in NYC.” Megan’s third display, which can be seen from November 1-November 26, is a mix of landscape and street photography, pulled together using her Rooted in Reality theme and by carefully titling each image.
Wandering Eye Poster, designed by Betsy Phillips, for Jim Dusen’s first Exhibit at Image City
Jim Dusen, whose photos are currently on display, has been showing his work at Image City since 2007, when his first exhibit called The Wandering Eye was shown. He was delighted with the poster made for his show and refers to Image City Partner Betsy Phillips, when he says, “Betsy did a pretty cool design for that poster.”
Jim, who is from Batavia, NY, has an extensive background in his career as a photographer, including former past President at University Photographers Association of America, former Photo Services Manager Emeritus at SUNY Brockport, and former Graphic Designer/Photographer at Genesee Community College. Jim has received multiple national photography awards. He says he “was first in a darkroom in 1970 and that broadened my photo horizons several notches above snap shooting.” He adds that “all along the way my personal vision has been an important part of my life.” Because he finds interest “in all sorts of directions,” visitors to Image City have been able to see that reflected in the variety of images he has displayed throughout the past 16 years.
Street Scene, by Jim Dusen
Jim’s current display is an assortment of photos rather than a strict theme; however, he says “the variety of these images do loosely complement each other.” Though Jim has created several theme-based shows, he says that because he has so many images, he also wants visitors to see some of those that have no visual connection to each other.
Jim’s favorite photo in this exhibit is called Touching Trees. The subject of the photo was found on a country road on which he and his wife occasionally drive. He says, “It’s mostly open farm land, but two large trees growing on either side of the road have always caught my attention. I like how they reach across the road to touch each other. Finally with my wife driving, I got out my iPhone 12 Pro, held it up to the windshield and kept shooting as we approached the trees. Back home I decided to do some alterations to contrast and color, which affected the mood of the scene.”
Touching Trees by Jim Dusen
Due to health reasons, and not being able to wander much over the past year, most of the photos in Jim’s current display were shot years ago. He says, “It is good to search out older images to see what attracted me to them back then and what possibilities any might offer today.”
Jim has a process that works for him when he is deciding what to include in a display. He says that he usually starts a folder that includes print possibilities. Then he digs into past photo files to see what images make his eye stop for a bit.
He says that there are usually more than enough for the eight or ten prints to fit comfortably on the East Wall. Next, he starts to print some of them to see how they translate from the computer screen to a display print. From there he makes the final cut. Jim says, “Presenting an image as an exhibition quality print; matted and framed, brings that image to a higher level. Of course I appreciate having a venue open to the general public, but it’s also the partners who have made this a long-term positive experience for me. The gallery, and each of the partners, become my friends, and they are always a pleasure to be associated with.” Jim believes his enjoyment of the arts; painting and drawing in particular, have influenced his treatment of his final images.
SERC, by Jim Dusen, shot when he was SUNY Brockport’s University Photographer
For some time Jim’s goal was to teach studio art, but he says, “photography is what really grabbed me.” As SUNY Brockport’s University Photographer, it was important for Jim to present photos in a realistic way. For his own personal vision, Jim says he “often deviates from that to enhance a feeling beyond what was captured with the camera.” He hopes that this feeling rubs off a bit as the viewer stops for a minute to see his section of the gallery walls.
Stop by Image City to see Jim’s current exhibit, which will be on display until October 30, 2023. If you have questions or would like to leave a comment, please write it in the comment box below.
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.
Ron Andrews has enjoyed photography since he was a child, when he observed his father and grandfather taking photos. His grandfather shot thousands of Kodachrome slides. Ron remembers watching him open a box of slides and sort them. Ron bought a Boy Scout Camera when he was 8 years old and has been interested in the technology of photography ever since.
For the past two months visitors to Image City Photography Gallery have been able to view some of the photos created by Visiting Artist Elisa Knataitis. This month, Elisa is exhibiting her 3rd series as a Visiting Artist. For her current display Elisa has selected some of her favorite images that she created over the years for competitions in Professional Photographers of America (PPA). She created these while she was working on her Master Photographer Degree from PPA.
As the title states it is my own “musing” on photography. It will be about theory, philosophy, and other thoughts that come to mind as I sit in front of my computer.
I am not a professional photographer. I do not make a living with my camera. I am self-taught. I have improved over the years with trial and error. I am not an amateur photographer either. I have sold a few images since I became a member of Image City Photography Gallery. Does that make me a professional photographer? I don’t think so.
When Scott Matyjaszek was a young boy, he was always fascinated by science fiction and the possibilities of technology. Through Sci-Fi comic books, he was intrigued by the idea of a future world filled with flying cars, intergalactic or inter-dimensional travel and advanced technology like robots and time machines. Thus, it is not surprising that Scott’s love for technology and his background in art have led to his collaboration with artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of his latest art, which he finds inspiring, exciting, and slightly other worldly. Scott’s love for technology has carried over into his art and his present use of AI as a new medium.
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.
Dichotomy Series #4 by David Ridley
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.
If you are a visitor to Image City Photography Gallery, you might remember seeing photo exhibits by Phyllis and Gary Thompson, who are retiring as partners and participants at Image City. Gary and Phyllis were among the first to join Ed Vesneske as founding partners and were very instrumental in the initial investment and renovation of the Gallery facility in 2005. Gary served as president and Phyllis as secretary. They are very accomplished photographers having traveled to 49 states to capture the glorious landscape of the United States.
When Betsy Phillips was nine or ten years old, she received her first camera, a Kodak Brownie Starflash, and her highlight was photographing Seminole Indians, wrestling alligators. Since then, her serious interest began to develop when she was studying interior design at American University. After a recommendation was made for her to take some photography courses to enhance her Design major, she ended up falling in love with photography. After taking Black and White and Basic Color, she took a three-week university sponsored photo trip to London, where she learned the most. That was the extent of Betsy’s formal photographic education. She is primarily self-taught, but Betsy’s art and design education contributed strongly to her pursuit of photography. Shortly after college, Betsy worked for a year as a custom B & W printer for a large mail order color film processing firm in the DC area. When her firm was given a large contract by the Office of Civil Defense, Betsy says that she spent 9 months working in a wet darkroom as a “robot,” custom printing by hand, thousands of 8 x 10 office party glossies. This turned her off to pursuing photography as a career; however, her interest remained solid.
Special qualities of Photography
Since Betsy’s childhood when she began creating art, she has continued to make art through a variety of forms, but she believes there are three things that make photography special. One is the immediate gratification. The second is observation and engagement with the existing world (nature, street photography or urban environments); and the visual delights that they offer when played upon, whether it is light and shadow, or when they offer humor. Thirdly, she always wanted to be an architect and wanted to paint abstractly. As a result, abstract photography is Betsy’s favorite genre. Photography allows Betsy to use her design sense to create abstract “paintings” and to explore architecture in all its forms: new, under construction or crumbling into decay.
Betsy’s Approach to Photography
Generally, Betsy’s approach is to “travel light” without the encumbrance of multiple technologies and gadgets. Her intent is to utilize design and composition to create simplicity, to eliminate the unnecessary, and to focus the viewer. She limits her palette to just a few colors, although she does often use strong colors. She wants to draw the viewer into her photos to appreciate the beauty of all things. Typically, Betsy is out photographing as often as 2-3 times/week, in spring and fall, less so in other months-unless she is traveling, when she photographs daily. She uses a Sony Mirrorless-6300 or a Canon Digital Elf.
Inspiration
Betsy is inspired by art and photography, art galleries, creative people and the energy of big cities, as well as the calmness of the woods and water. There are several people whom she admires, for example, the character demonstrated by Ghandi and Barack Obama. As for photographers, Betsy admires Dan Neuberger, who was her photo mentor; Minor White, Carl Chiarenza, Pat Wilder and John Kosboth. Additionally, she admires artists George Braque, Picasso, Alexander Calder, Giacometti, Edward Hopper, Henri Moore, Gauguin, Dechirico and architect Phillip Johnson.
Achievements and Aspirations
Betsy says that her greatest personal achievement was helping found Image City Photography Gallery, although an interesting fact about Betsy is that she worked as a Child Protective Investigator for 32 years.
Besides Image City Where to View Betsy’s Work
MuCC Gallery (142 Atantic Avenue; Rochester, NY 14607)
Arena Group Exhibits (Geisel Gallery, Legacy Tower, 1 Bausch + Lomb Place; Rochester, NY 14604)-next upcoming show: January-February
Artizanns in Naples(118 N. Main Street; Naples, NY 14512)
