Another Exhibition

My photo Lady of Antigua will be one of 38 featured photographs by 36 different artist to be exhibited at the Mitchell Museum in Mt. Vernon, Illinois at part of the 2012 Shrode Photography Competition.  The judge of the competition is well-known photographer, writer, and educator William Sawalich.

Lady of Antigua.  Click for a larger image. 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

If you're in the area, here's the information for the show:

The top award winners will be announced at the Opening Reception, Saturday, October 27, 2012, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend! Cedarhurst members are admitted for free, non-members $5 admission. Exhibiting photographers will receive free admission plus one additional ticket for their spouse or friend. Tickets will arrive in the mail in the following weeks. The evening will begin with a live glass blowing demonstration outside the Mitchell Museum by students and faculty from SIU-C! This special event is in conjunction with the opening of The Joy Thorton-Walter and John Walter Collection of Contemporary Glass Art in the Main Gallery at Cedarhurst. The photography awards will be announced in the Mitchell Museum at 7:00 p.m. We will gather at the Shrode Art Center shortly thereafter to present the checks and certificates. Complimentary hor’devours are provided; alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.

You might also be interested in Mr. Sawalich's judge's statement:

JUDGE’S STATEMENT

FOR SHRODE ART CENTER PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

BY WILLIAM SAWALICH

Great photographs frequently make the common appear uncommon, and that is certainly the case with my selections for this exhibition. I’m especially drawn to simplicity, graphic strength, and a clear, concise visual statement. But I’m also particularly drawn to photographs that are uniquely about the medium itself; motion blurs, time lapses, patterns of light and shadow… compositions that are inherently “photographic” in nature are sure to impress me.

This also means that I give preference to images that are primarily made “in camera” rather than via a peculiar post-processing effect. That said, clicking the shutter is only part of the challenge, and good post-production refinements—processing, retouching, contrast, color correction—are integral to a photograph’s success. When these simple technical elements come together with a strong composition, at the perfect moment and with just the right light, it’s the perfect storm that creates a tremendous photograph. Add to that a bit of artistic vision and the results become truly special.  

Because of the democratization of photography (easy access to improved tools has spawned tremendous growth in the medium) it’s no longer enough to simply create a technically correct photograph. To stand out in the sea of images we encounter every day, aesthetics, composition and vision matter more than ever. And with so many great photographs in the world—and in the entries to this competition—technical perfection becomes a relative baseline.

In the end, I found the photographs that elicited my strongest response drew some connection—intentional or not—to the masters of the medium. Whether it’s the cinematic drama of Gregory Crewdson, the documentary portraiture of Steve McCurry, or the simple beauty of an Aaron Siskind abstraction, the standout photographs in this exhibition are directly connected to the larger history of photography. These photographers are clearly working deliberately, and their photographs are exciting, inspiring and simply very well done. 

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 You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

A Video of Fine Art Photography from Guatemala

I did a presentation last year for which I created a video of my fine art photography of Guatemalan people and places.  Click on the little triangle in the video screen to watch.  If you enjoy it, please let your friends know.







You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

Also you can use this code for a 25% discount on artwork from my website:  VCMYEX
The discount is for photographs and artwork only, and does not apply to framing, mats, etc.
The code is good until October 1.

The Mayan Beauty

The image below is one that I shot several years ago.  Another image of the same lady that I shot only a few seconds after this one has won numerous awards; its the photo I use on the entrance page to my website.  However, I recently came across this image in my files and I like it about as much as the one that has received so much attention.  Let me know what you think.

Another version of Mayan Beauty.  I met her when stopped to shoot a waterfall near Panajachel, Guatermala.  Her car had broken down.  Click on the image for a larger view.

My website features this image of Mayan Beauty.

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com

More Street Photography - From the Files

The two images below have been on my hard drive unprocess for six years.  I've taken lots of photos of the same lady over the years.  Every time I visit Chichicastenango, she's always on the cathedral steps at pretty much the same place.    When I'm bored, I go back to the files to see if there's something that has potential.    These two images fit that category.

Flower vendor.  Chichicastenango, Guatemala. You can click on the photos for a larger view.

Flower Vendor.  Chichicastenango, Guatemala.

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com
 

Antigua Cathedral - Another One from the Files

When I haven't been doing much photography, I sometimes go back through my archives to see if there's a photo I missed, one that I never processed to bring it to its full potential.  Here's one that I shot back in 2005.  It sat on a hard drive until today.

Antigua Cathedral, across from the Central Plaza.  Antigua, Guatemala.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

The Fair is Good for Fine Art Photos

State and local fairs are going on around the country this time of year.  The local DuQuoin State Fair starts this weekend.

Fairs are a great place for a photographer.  If you like the fast and furious nature of the rides and roller coasters or the depth of people photography, there's bound to be something there at which you can point a lens.

Here are a couple of photos from my last trip to the fair.  They stayed on my hard drive unprocessed until I was looking through my files recently.

The little guy who takes your quarters is always an excellent subject for a portrait.

People and their fascination with the weird and wacky are great subjects.

If you get to the Fair, bring your camera and see if you can find a shot worthy of fine art.  I bet you can.

You can see my website at:  www.tombellart.com

Shooting Close to Home

I live in rural southern Illinois, only two hours away from St. Louis, Missouri.

Usually, I take the city for granted.  I pass through going to the airport several times each year, or attend an event.  I seldom think of it as a photographic opportunity -- not because it has nothing to offer, but rather because I've seen it thousands of times.  However, with my children's teenage cousin visiting from Spain, we viewed the city through the eyes of tourists a couple of weeks ago. We went to the top of the Arch and toured the museum.  We walked along Laclede's Landing and took in the sights.  We searched for a good restaurant and did lots of tourist things.  But this time I brought my camera and took a few moments to look for something more than a snapshot.

Here's a shot of the Jefferson National Expansion Monument (better known as the Gateway Arch) from one of the cobblestone streets at Laclede's Landing.

The Arch from Lacledes Landing

 It just goes to show that we shouldn't take what we already know for granted.  There's good photography everywhere, even in your own backyard.