It is with great honor that I announce I have four images in the upcoming “Road Trip” exhibit at the Darkroom Gallery in Essex Junction, Vermont. The superb photographer Douglas Beasley was the juror for this exhibit and I am so flattered that he chose some of my images.
Three of the images are from my trip to Austin, Texas this year and the fourth image is from my trip last year to New Orleans, Louisiana.
Douglas had this to say about this how he chose the images for this exhibit:
The Road Trip is the most classic of photo themes and one that got many of us started down the path of making photography a serious part of our lives. The very thought of imparting on a road trip is the start of the journey, which is both internal as well as external. A road trip can be as much spiritual journey as it is physical journey.
In judging photos, I am looking for photos that speak to me, that have something to say. This is completely subjective and it is important to realize it is only my opinion and not fact. It does not mean one photo is better than another. But it is an informed and educated opinion. Yet still opinion, not fact…….
I look for photographs that have a sense of mystery, a deeper meaning or even layers of meaning. The composition must be strong and purposeful, not haphazard. The photographer should have an awareness of the whole frame not just subject and background. The intention or ‘voice’ of the photographer should come through. I look for a strong and personal point of view rather than a ‘me too-I can shoot like that’ visual attitude. I want to feel the photographer had a personal connection on some level to their chosen subject rather than finding a random pretty or interesting scene. I would rather see photos with a fresh perspective or an authentic voice than the same tired subjects redone. I would rather the photographer look deeper within his or her self and photograph from an authentic place of connection to the subject rather than copying past photo contest winners-which is a little like coloring inside the lines when you were a kid because you knew you might get praise. I would rather see a photograph that erases the lines altogether.
A compelling image may ask more questions than it answers. A good photo leaves room for mystery and interpretation and is more like a poem than a novel. The novel tells you everything in exacting detail but the poem hints at the story in the simplest possible way, removing all that is not essential to get to an essence, leaving room for mystery and interpretation. To me the best photographs show not only what the photographer saw but what and how they felt. This way of interpreting your subject is much harder to do but well worth exploring…
The exhibit opens August 16 and includes an exhibit catalog. You can view all of the images in this exhibit here.
