January 2017 – Alexis Marie Chute

InFocus 2017 Photographer Al Dixon

To continue with guest blog posts by InFocus 2017 photographers, I am pleased to introduce Al Dixon. Al has been with InFocus since the beginning and his landscape images reveal he is a man of patience and skill. As InFocus is quickly approaching, I love peering into the creative practices of these photographers. It is inspiring to say the least. I’m sure you will feel the same after reading Al’s words. On that note, away we go!

AL DIXON

A picture is worth a thousand words. Yes, that’s oh so ‘tre cliche’, yet it’s a mantra that many photographers and other visual creatives live by. We strive to create images that resonate with our audience by capturing their imagination, evoking emotions & feelings, or spurring conversations. Along with a level of technical mastery & a certain visual appeal, these are the hallmarks of an exceptional image. We each have our own reasons as to why we embark on these creative journeys. For me it starts as a stress reliever. After that, the mixture of art & technology provides outlets for both my Inner Artist & Inner Nerd. Surprisingly, when we start to forget these reasons we seem to be able to produce an image reminding us of them just in time.

Windy Point by Al Dixon

It wasn’t until after first posting “Sunset at Abraham” online and receiving feedback that I saw the image in a totally different manner. Having shot the image with an exposure of 4 minutes, the chaos and raw power of the location had been greatly mellowed and refined. Many that know the area commented that they had never seen Windy Point so calm and tranquil. Thinking back on the evening I created the image, I could recall sitting on the rocks with little doubt in my mind as to how the location had received its name. While strong winds attempted to toss photographer and gear into the lake, powerful gusts buffeted the tripod threatening the dreaded camera shake. Waves were crashing on the rocks below, creating spray that clambered to find purchase upon my filters and lens. What I didn’t realize at the time was that while I was aware of all this chaos, confusion, and distractions; not once did any of it interfere with the mission I was on. The image my Inner Artist intended to capture was clear in his mind, my Inner Nerd contently performed filter exposure calculations in his head, and I sat on that cold wet rock completely and totally at peace.

Sunset at Abraham by Al Dixon

All it takes now is but a moments glance at that image to remind me of the simple joy the art of photography has brought into my life. While the stress of the daily grind may seem over bearing at times, immersing myself in creating images can make all of that go away. It rekindles the memories of ‘borrowing’ my parent’s camera as a child, countless hours in the darkroom throughout high school, and countless photo excursions with my daughter. These simple joys had been fading over the past few years; but thanks to a cold, wet, windy evening they are here to stay.

Where Al hangs his hat online:

Website: www.aldixonphotography.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlDixonPhotography

Twitter: @Al_D_Photo

Instagram: @Al_D_Photo

InFocus 2017 Photographer Hedy Bach

January 23, 2017/0 Comments/in Curating, InFocus Photo Exhibit, Photography Inspirations /by Alexis Marie Chute

I love sharing the work of other talented artists, writers, musicians and, of course, photographers. Today is a special guest post by one of the 2017 InFocus Photo photographers. I am pleased to introduce Hedy Bach! I first got to know Hedy and her photography two years ago when she submitted and showed her photography at our 2015 InFocus Photo Exhibit and Award. Hedy is a “sloppy Buddhist” and an inspirational woman in the arts. Below you will find a unique guest blog post, entirely in poem, writing about photography. On that note, I pass this post over to Hedy!

HEDY BACH

i photograph daily

i write daily

i upload images daily

i use adobe lightroom & photo apps

and i try to work mainly in camera

i play with my fujx100s & iphone 6

rarely do i go anywhere without a camera

i like small carry-around cameras

ones i can wear like a necklace

i like to feel obscure

i appreciate tripods but rarely use them

in 2011 i began to photograph with intention

before that i made snapshots

as a girl i was always looking

i learned about the surveyed and surveyors

i studied the place of the photograph

i became a visual researcher

i taught fine arts curriculum to education students

and as a researcher i worked with images and story

social justice issues, human rights, and visual ethics matter deeply to me

line up ~ Edmonton, Alberta ~ 2016 by Hedy Bach

when i started my blog sloppybuddhist.com

i wanted to compose posts with my images

i wanted to be behind a camera

try another way of visual story telling

every day i began to photograph beauty with intention

beauty that can be consoling, disturbing, sacred, profane;

it can be exhilarating, appealing, inspiring, chilling.

couple ~ Edmonton, Alberta ~ 2016 by Hedy Bach

i’m self-taught

i learn from

artists

photographers

photo-journalists

writers

musicians

botanists

bloggers

filmmakers

poets, etc.

mostly i learn along the way

i love

seeing

beauty

in ordinary everyday life

i am a member of two local photography clubs

i attend workshops, talks and competitions

i take free on line learning

i have one to one lessons with photography friends

i continue learning about the taking and making of photography.

resting ~ Lisbon, Portugal ~ 2016 by Hedy Bach

i enjoy street photography

i like people

i like walking and talking with people

it’s enlivening

and i love wandering urban environments

open ~ Dorothy, Alberta ~ 2016 by Hedy Bach

i also love to be alone

walk my dogs

in early mornings just after dark

my magic hour

i love the land

being outside

in a room without a roof

Physalis peruviana ~ Edmonton, Alberta ~ 2016 by Hedy Bach

i photograph in my home

i don’t need to be away to find beauty

of course i enjoy being in front of something different

being in various spaces and places

i am grateful for the opportunities that having a camera has given me.

17-01-10

by hedy

me elsewhere

sloppybuddhist

https://sloppybuddhist.com/

hedy bach;s alberta

http://hedybach.tumblr.com/

Hedy Bach’s Street Photography: A verb…

https://500px.com/hbach

Hedy Bach

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hedybach

InFocus 2017 Photographer Steve Ricketts

January 10, 2017/0 Comments/in Guest Post, InFocus Photo Exhibit, Photography Inspirations /by Alexis Marie Chute

I love sharing the work of other talented artists, writers, musicians and, of course, photographers. Today is a special guest post by one of the 2017 InFocus Photo photographers. I am pleased to introduce Steve Ricketts! I first got to know Steve and his photography last year when he submitted and showed his photography at our 2016 InFocus Photo Exhibit and Award. Steve is not only a great photographer, but a truly kind human. On that note, I pass this post over to Steve!

STEVE RICKETTS

I first became interested in photography about five years ago as a retirement project and as a homage to my Dad, and I found that I enjoyed it immensely. I find myself drawn to photography because of its ability to tell a story without the use of words. One can write at length about a topic but a single image can be much more powerful.

taken in the Palouse area of eastern Washington State

I’m mostly self-taught; i.e. I have no formal training in photography or in art; in fact, I’m not exactly artistic. If anything, I’m the opposite; I’m a scientist by education and work, and I take a very scientific and logical approach to photography. I have learned a great deal by reading books by photographers, by traveling with other photographers and seeing what they do, and by taking photos. Lots of photos.

I mostly do landscape photography but I also enjoy experimenting with weather (storms, noctilucent clouds), portraiture, urban photography, and the blur created by intentional camera movement. I am constantly looking for images that capture a special moment.

I use Adobe Lightroom for almost all my image processing, and Nik’s Silver Efex Pro for black-and white conversion. I try to minimize the amount of editing that I do; while today’s software allows for powerful manipulation to create a wonderful image, I prefer to challenge myself to be in the right place and at the right time to capture the image that I have in mind.

Over the past year, I have found myself drawn to doing black & white photography as I like how it draws the viewer’s attention to the contrast and texture in landscapes. I often use a telephoto lens and zoom in on a small area to capture lines and curves; it’s very much a desire for minimalism.

taken in Two Hills County, AB

While the Alberta Rockies are home to a lot of spectacular scenery, there is a lot of beauty in the Alberta prairies too, and I find myself increasingly drawn to shooting the landscape in and around my home in Sherwood Park, especially in Strathcona, Minburn and Lamont Counties. That is, rather than take the viewer on a journey to see the grandeur of the Rockies, I prefer to take them on a journey around my backyard to enjoy the subtlety of the Prairies.

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