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If you are unable to visit our gallery and would like to purchase photographs from this preview or others in the gallery, please contact the gallery and call 585-271-2540.

 

Gallery Picks of the Show

B&W Invitational

June 14 - July 10, 2022

Gallery Partners have chosen our "Picks of the Show"
by Featured and Guest Photographers

click here to return to the details of the exhibit

All images copyright by the individual photographers


Sue's Suit by Clay Arnold

Sue’s Suit
by Clay Arnold
$200, 18x24-in

Many black and white photographs tend to be dark and moody…one of the features that make this genre of photography considered being “artistic”.

Clay has turned this upside down, creating an image that is almost entirely white, with the exception of his model’s head and shoes. As you look closely you can see the high-key outlines and texture of the white suit that the model is wearing.

Sue (assuming that is the name of the model) is beautifully lit, framed by an all-white background. At first, she seems to almost disappear into it, but upon further scrutiny, you can see the entire model's suit. Her face is beautifully rendered, her eyes look at the viewer, a casual pose making good eye contact.

This very novel approach to portraiture makes for a beautifully composed image which draws the viewer into a relationship with the model, wanting to get to know her better!

 



Preening by Archie Curry

 

Preening
by Archie Curry
$110, 17x20-in

It was difficult to pick only one photographs of these beautiful egrets. There is real appreciation for Archie’s patience in waiting for the perfect moment, his eye for composition and his skill at creating such elegant, finished images. This photograph, Preening, could also be called Showing Off, as the egret displays the fine structure of its feathers and the elegance of its long neck. It might be rewarding enough to focus our attention only on the bird, his feathers, neck, eyes and long pointed bill, its posture, but there are other important elements of the photograph. The use of selective focus keeps our attention on the sharp image of the egret – the trees in the background are very defocused, providing the deep green backdrop. That allows the fine plumage, fanning back, to be seen with real clarity. The bird’s structure. as a whole, provides a strong diagonal, encouraging our eyes to move up and down along the white plumage. The leafy structure supporting the egret seems so natural, and the two exposed branches move our eyes back to the preening bird. Congratulations are in order! Thank you, Archie.

 






Guardian of the Bridge by Andrea Gluckman

 

Guardian of the Bridge
by Andrea Gluckman

NFS, 19x28-in

Andrea describes her core as a photographer to act as an “emotional witness” capturing and curating her work for an emotional, empathic response. Her Gallery Pick, Guardian of the Bridge, is an example of the quality and creativity of her craftsmanship.

The figure and bridge are slightly off center, there are an abundance of triangles and leading lines, and a very significant contrast in textures. The soft skin, the skirt and blouse contrast with the texture that surrounds her. Andrea uses a narrow focal length so that only the figure and a portion of the bridge to the viewer’s right is in sharp focus. A touch of lighting further embraces the subject creating a powerful pull to the eye of the viewer. The stick and her left leg are in parallel, but she appears balanced. Her stance demonstrates assurance and confidence in her abilities and yet is also relaxed and non-threatening.

Andrea’s goal is to engage the viewer with the image on a deep level. To think of a guardian, one usually thinks of a protector, but a guardian is so much more than that. A parent guardian protects their children, but they also provide them with many opportunities to learn and function in a world within which they will eventually be independent. Libraries and museums protect knowledge, history, and culture and serve as learning vehicles for understanding. Is this guardian for the protection and awareness of a culture that may not be understood or celebrated? Is the bridge a metaphor for a pathway to this better understanding and protection of a culture that may be lost?

Andrea has presented us with a powerful image, carefully photographed and processed with an aim to engage you on a deeper level. What does the ‘stick’ represent? How would you describe the woman’s expression? What is your response to Andrea’s work?



Yellow Fruit on Yellow Fruit by Susan Plunkett

 

Yellow Fruit on Yellow Fruit
by Susan Plunkett

$200, 12x16-in

Most people who know Susan Plunkett refer to her as Suzie Tomato, a reference to her catering business, Susan Plunkett’s Fabulous Foods. However, many do not know that in addition to growing and cooking all of her tomatoes, she also enjoys photographing them in creative compositions. 

When composing each photo, Susan plays around with the backgrounds and colors, which ultimately affects the feel of the image and has a significant impact on the overall composition. By using bold colors, dramatic lines, and shadows; Susan creates drama in her food images. The colors and lines tend to stimulate emotions.

In her Gallery Pick entitled Yellow Fruit on Yellow Fruit, Susan has cleverly used a background of yellow and black swirls to lead the viewer into her creative photo of a squash leaning on a yellow tomato. They almost seem human as the large squash rests its stem on the small tomato as if to demonstrate that even small living things can help those that are bigger. Though many believe that a tomato and a squash are considered vegetables, Susan has titled her photo of a tomato and squash as fruit, which is botanically correct because fruits contain seeds and develop from the flowers of the plant. Thank you, Susan, for sharing your love of creating tomatoes in your garden, and for bringing them to our viewers to enjoy in your images.

 


Last Chance_ Equilibrium by Julia Rabkin

 

Last Chance: Equilibrium
by Julia Rabkin

$200, 18x24-in

Julia uses her camera to create worlds containing “aesthetic beauty, romanticism, and drama.” Like many of us she has embraces the marriage of art and technology. Julia also incorporates motion with most of her subjects and makes us feel as if we are present to some fantastic dance. This collection of photos is consistently tonally correct for the subjects. My favorite image is Last Chance: Equilibrium because it seems to stand out amongst the others in the group. The model is impossibly thin, extenuated by the vertical stripes in her dress. She is held to the ground by the boots she is wearing even as she appears to be pulled up to her tiptoes by an invisible force. Her arched back and dangling arms add to the mystery of how she is managing to remain balanced. The model is looking right at the camera and our nature is to return the gaze, but we continue to be forced to try and discover how she maintains equilibrium. A great photo amongst a wonderful set of B&W’s.

Hickory by Anthony Ryan

Hickory
by Anthony Ryan

$375, 20x27-In

This is one of the many excellent photos submitted by Anthony to the annual Black and White Show.

There are many beautiful landscape photographs produced by photographers. Many of these record a striking landscape, utilizing their skill in composition, shadows and highlights, lighting, color (when appropriate) and capturing the beauty of the environment.

The photograph, Hickory, goes beyond this creative recording, as it is a photograph that has gesture and metaphor. This is in addition to the composition, lighting etc. The subject matter, a lone tree silhouetted against a dramatic sky with rows of some kind of crop leading the viewer’s eye to the main subject. The composition is wonderful, symmetrical yet complex. The shape of the tree is echoed in the clouds, with a band of clear sky almost producing a glow around the tree.

However there is much more in this photograph, as the viewer starts to feel the loneliness but yet the beauty of the entire environment. The tree stands alone, with no neighbors, against a turbulent sky. The viewer can only contemplate how they respond to this stark yet beautiful symbol of strength and solitude.
   

 
Image City Photography Gallery  ♦   722 University Avenue  ♦    Rochester, NY 14607 ♦ 585.271.2540
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