I went to 3 different galleries to see photos today.
Kaasa Gallery "Alberta Photo Open"
I quite enjoyed the work on display, the Open still suffers from lack of people photography, lack of documentary photography, lack of nudes etc but what they had was OK. There were a couple of works I liked, including the only other real portrait a colour shot of a Burmese child. The other shot I liked was a b/w panoramic pollution photo and a abstract graffiti shot done by Jim Gaa.
On the down side I found many of the images gimmicky, 4 were printed on canvas, one on plastic etc. I have often found that people with mediocre photos quite often try to spice them up by printing them on some weird material/surface. A boring picture is a boring picture even its printed on 24 karat gold. There were 2 portraits in the show of 37 photographs, gosh are there no people photographers in Alberta? I think many times photogs are afraid to deal with people so they do the grain elevator or the coloured foamy water shots, no dangers of pissing people off by making those type pics. Why not try to create something unique? Why shoot the same shit everyone else is shooting? Some of the work on display was original and fun including a wonderful photo of a goat watching a TV called "On The Other Side".
I think my photo of Nit was the only silver gelatin print in the show, everything else with possibly one exception was some sort of digi process. Are there no more darkroom workers in Alberta? Where are all the analog photogs? There were no pieces in the show from the only analog group in Alberta I know of, the Monochrome Guild (a group I used to belong to). Hopefully next year there will be more traditional prints both from the Guild and others. I will continue to submit to this yearly show, its fun and easy (email submissions), plus you make a little doe ($75 per print). I have had 5 prints in 3 different editions of the Open, hopefully more in the future.
AGA "British Photography Exhibit From The National Gallery Of Canada"
This is my third time through this show and I enjoyed it but not as much as the times before. I still found the Platinum prints appealing, the ones they have in the show have pinkish tones in the prints I love. The other thing that stands out for me is wonderful large Daguerreotype photo, its a large portrait maybe 8x10 inches, quite stunning to look at. I got to learn the Platinum printing process!
McMullen Gallery "Procession West" Show
I had a mixed reaction to this show, the subject matter in my opinion was commonplace and superficial, something I have seen done by dozens of photographers before. On the other hand I found several prints in the show very strong, one photograph "Pristine Light" (a picture of a tree/trees in glowing snow/light) I found to be Ansel Adams like in quality and emotional content, I am still thinking of this picture, cut 1mm off the left side of the print and it would be perfect. There were 2 or 3 other works I liked very much as well including the print "Roundhouse", a great composition and feel to it.
Overall I think I liked this show the best of the day but it was a hit and miss , several prints I felt were printed to dark or to light (hard to judge that in the darkroom, it often depends on lighting in the gallery). I also noticed burning and dodging areas that bothered me or to much contrast added to some prints (coal and soot looking prints with no middle tones), some of the other prints had the opposite effect, they seemed to grey and lacked deep whites and blacks.
On a more positive note a couple of the compositions I found surprisingly strong, photos "Collapsed Barn" and "Altas Coal Mine". Another print that was well worth the trip to the gallery was "Galatea Creek", a very beautiful work that I would love to own.
I am glad I took the time out of my busy life to visit this show, I found many things to recommend, even thou it was a hit and miss affair the hits made it well worth seeing, check it out of you can.
I am still thinking of the wonderful snowed tree shot "Pristine Light", it was the most memorable photo of the day for me, pictures like that is what makes photography a great art form.
Kaasa Gallery "Alberta Photo Open"
I quite enjoyed the work on display, the Open still suffers from lack of people photography, lack of documentary photography, lack of nudes etc but what they had was OK. There were a couple of works I liked, including the only other real portrait a colour shot of a Burmese child. The other shot I liked was a b/w panoramic pollution photo and a abstract graffiti shot done by Jim Gaa.
On the down side I found many of the images gimmicky, 4 were printed on canvas, one on plastic etc. I have often found that people with mediocre photos quite often try to spice them up by printing them on some weird material/surface. A boring picture is a boring picture even its printed on 24 karat gold. There were 2 portraits in the show of 37 photographs, gosh are there no people photographers in Alberta? I think many times photogs are afraid to deal with people so they do the grain elevator or the coloured foamy water shots, no dangers of pissing people off by making those type pics. Why not try to create something unique? Why shoot the same shit everyone else is shooting? Some of the work on display was original and fun including a wonderful photo of a goat watching a TV called "On The Other Side".
I think my photo of Nit was the only silver gelatin print in the show, everything else with possibly one exception was some sort of digi process. Are there no more darkroom workers in Alberta? Where are all the analog photogs? There were no pieces in the show from the only analog group in Alberta I know of, the Monochrome Guild (a group I used to belong to). Hopefully next year there will be more traditional prints both from the Guild and others. I will continue to submit to this yearly show, its fun and easy (email submissions), plus you make a little doe ($75 per print). I have had 5 prints in 3 different editions of the Open, hopefully more in the future.
AGA "British Photography Exhibit From The National Gallery Of Canada"
This is my third time through this show and I enjoyed it but not as much as the times before. I still found the Platinum prints appealing, the ones they have in the show have pinkish tones in the prints I love. The other thing that stands out for me is wonderful large Daguerreotype photo, its a large portrait maybe 8x10 inches, quite stunning to look at. I got to learn the Platinum printing process!
McMullen Gallery "Procession West" Show
I had a mixed reaction to this show, the subject matter in my opinion was commonplace and superficial, something I have seen done by dozens of photographers before. On the other hand I found several prints in the show very strong, one photograph "Pristine Light" (a picture of a tree/trees in glowing snow/light) I found to be Ansel Adams like in quality and emotional content, I am still thinking of this picture, cut 1mm off the left side of the print and it would be perfect. There were 2 or 3 other works I liked very much as well including the print "Roundhouse", a great composition and feel to it.
Overall I think I liked this show the best of the day but it was a hit and miss , several prints I felt were printed to dark or to light (hard to judge that in the darkroom, it often depends on lighting in the gallery). I also noticed burning and dodging areas that bothered me or to much contrast added to some prints (coal and soot looking prints with no middle tones), some of the other prints had the opposite effect, they seemed to grey and lacked deep whites and blacks.
On a more positive note a couple of the compositions I found surprisingly strong, photos "Collapsed Barn" and "Altas Coal Mine". Another print that was well worth the trip to the gallery was "Galatea Creek", a very beautiful work that I would love to own.
I am glad I took the time out of my busy life to visit this show, I found many things to recommend, even thou it was a hit and miss affair the hits made it well worth seeing, check it out of you can.
I am still thinking of the wonderful snowed tree shot "Pristine Light", it was the most memorable photo of the day for me, pictures like that is what makes photography a great art form.
