Awarded Photographs from the Exhibit
	Selected by Lumiere Photo  -- Awarded $150 Gift Certificate Dichotomy Series #4 by David Ridley, $175, 18x25-in David presents us with a very intriguing black and white abstract photograph. Abstract compositions focus on basic elements of an image, rather than realistic representations of. scenery. It might isolate a fragment of a scene to remove its inherent context from the viewer. It may be purposely staged to create a seemingly unreal appearance, or it may involve the use of color, light, shadow, texture, shape and/or form to convey a feeling, sensation, or impression. In David’s image, texture and shape are the predominant elements, from the swirls at the top, to the clear lines and the smoother vertical swatches on the middle right, to the vertical strips in the left hand third of the photo. The rectangular form of the photo is replicated repeatedly and is used to keep one’s eye moving throughout and separating its various parts. Each of the different sections within each rectangle also has a different texture and tonality.   It’s interesting to consider what colors are behind the black and white processing. However, the color may have overpowered the rest of the image rendering elements such as texture or form to recede into the background. David’s decision to process in black and white allows us to view the full space that works together as a whole. We see a clear separation of two parts of the photo by the rectangular vertical space to the left of center. And then, again, there is at least one rectangle delineated, perhaps by paint in each space.  So, what are we looking at? . . . a buttress of a bridge? . . . the side of an old building? . . . the floor of a car repair shop? . . . or maybe an ariel view of a road or parking lot? Curiously, synonyms for dichotomy include not only opposition, but mystery or riddle as well. What clues has David left us with to figure out this mystery?  Congratulations to David. His “Dichotomy Series #4” is deserving of a $150 gift certificate from our sponsor Lumiere Photo. By Dick Bennett
	Awarded by Archival Methods --  $150 Gift Certificate Flower Power by Megan Crandlemire, $125, 17x21-in In Megan Crandlemire’s image, Flower Power, the viewer is taken back to the 60’s when the term flower power was all around as a promotion of peace and love in the hope of changing the world. In this image the huge transparent yellow flower is all around as one peers through the petals to see the strength of the building within it. We admire Megan’s artistic vision, using layers to create a tremendous visual impact, together with a mystery factor that is intriguing, even to the casual observer. We are aware of the bottom layer, a building we can see through the flower. As one studies the image more closely, it appears to be an apartment building, yet we don’t know what is in most of the rooms of the apartment because the interior is hidden through the use of window shades or reflections on the window glass. Might the building symbolize the strength that might exist in war-torn countries when certain buildings remain in the aftermath of an attack? Behind the yellow flower, there is a mosaic texture that blends in well with the bricks and stone of the building and creates a strength behind the flower power. Often mosaics are made from broken pieces. At first glance those broken pieces don’t seem to be related to each other but when placed together, they are transformed into a thing of beauty. In this image the textured layer adds interest and beauty to the photo as a whole. Although one is immediately aware of the anomaly of the different layers, the main focus is on the power of the bright yellow flower on the top layer. As Vincent Van Gogh said, “How lovely yellow is! It stands for the sun.” All over the world yellow is associated with the sun and its life-giving warmth, yet yellow also stands for caution. The color of the yellow flower coupled with the darker colors in the bottom of the image is a strong combination. The contrast of the soft yellow suggesting enthusiasm and enlightenment, is the opposite of darkness. Perhaps the power of this flower is suggesting that we live each day with the optimism and cheerfulness of a sunny day, while being cautious along the way. Megan has created a truly delightful and thought-provoking image, artistically presented for everyone to enjoy and explore. Congratulations to Megan, who wins a $150 gift certificate from Archival Methods. By Marie Costanza
	Selected by Image City -- Awarded $150 Silver Wall by David Bleich, $425, 19x35-in  When you look at this photograph don’t you feel a little disoriented?  It seems as if David captured a collapsing Jenga pile mid fall? It doesn’t appear as if this could be a real building. This photograph isolates part of the STATA Center, also known as the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. Frank Gehry is aptly known as the architect of dancing buildings and crunched forms.  David has singled out just a small part of the STATA Center so we can focus on what appears to be an illusion. He framed this just so we have a taste of reality on the right side of the frame and then the Silver Wall being crunched up as if it were a ball of paper on the left. You can actually feel the movement in this photograph. It’s an abstraction where only the framed windows give us a place to rest our mind a bit. The photo is composed so that there are three sections receding to the back, both in form and light, giving the image a sense of depth and dimensionality. The Gallery felt that Silver Wall was deserving of one of the $150 Image City Awards for the Magic of Light 2023 exhibit. By Don Menges