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Friday Musings: Below the Moon & Author Life, the Lowdown

THE BIRTH OF A PASSION PROJECT: INFOCUS PHOTO

12 Reasons for Canadian Photographers to Enter InFocus Photo

InFocus: Opening Party & Portfolio Reviews

InFocus Photo Exhibit & Award is open to the public! Visit The Front Gallery to see this amazing show. I am so proud to curate InFocus and I love seeing how it is propelling photographers’ careers forward and engaging people in the dialogue about why photography matters. I believe photography is art. This is something I’ve always promoted – and defended. The Front Gallery owner, Rachel Bouchard, is on the same page (and the gallery looks great adorned in photos, btw).

Photography is a dynamic, impassioned and powerful creative medium. Not to be ignored.

If you are in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada this Thursday, February 9 – come out to the InFocus Photo opening party! And come back again on Friday night for the portfolio reviews. Here is more info about both of these awesome events:

InFocus Opening Reception:

Thursday, February 9, 2017

6 – 9 pm

The Front Gallery

12323 – 104th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta

Curator Talk & InFocus Photo People’s Choice Award presentation – 7pm

InFocus Portfolio Reviews:

Portfolio Review Date:

Friday, February 10, 2017

6:30-9:30 PM

Registration: $40+GST

Students. Enthusiasts. Amateurs. Professionals. ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS WELCOME!
We have a rock star line-up of reviewers ready to bestow their wealth of knowledge and experience to all portfolio review participants.

Reviewers include: Larry Louie, Curtis Trent, Akemi Matsubuchi, and yours truly, Alexis Marie Chute.

Bring printed photographs, a bound portfolio or images on your laptop or tablet. The reviewers will look at your work, give feedback on how to make it better or how to promote yourself – or anything else you may be wondering about with your photography.

One registration will give you ten (10) minutes with each of our four talented and generous photographers in a speed-dating style review.

THERE ARE ONLY 6 SPOTS LEFT! REGISTER NOW!

 

 

 

Here is more info about InFocus:

MISSION: To promote and exhibit innovative, thoughtful, and provocative photography created by CANADIAN contemporary image makers.

INFOCUS PHOTO is an annual exhibition that began in 2015. In it’s first year, the show took place at Harcourt House Artist Run Centre and featured Edmonton and area photographers. In the second year, InFocus expanded to celebrate the best photography from across Alberta, showcased at dc3 Art Projects. Now, in its third year, InFocus has fulfilled its mission of welcoming submissions from ALL Canadian photographers. This year, the curated show will be mounted in The Front Gallery.

InFocus is one of the major photographic surveys of Canadian-made imagery.

InFocus presents the current cultural climate in photography within our nation.  

 

Photo by Vanessa Tignanelli. GUELPH, Ont. (30/06/16) – Julian Holman, known in Guelph, Ont. as “the pigeon guy”, is a friendly but strongly-opinionated homeless man with a unique relationship to a bird named Ffögeli. Julian has a brilliant mind, but he psychoanalyzes society so meticulously that he can only exist as a critic, choosing to live on the outside of society rather than be a contributing member. Julian has been living on the streets of Guelph since 2013 when he moved from Germany to pursue a love that would eventually break his heart. It seems he has dealt with pain by turning every human emotion into a crippling string of theories. “You can’t deal with things unless you understand them. Once you understand them you are detached. They are no longer things that involve you, they are things to observe. It’s there in the Vedas, the miraculous capabilities of human consciousness,” he says. Recently Julian has been squatting in an abandoned house near downtown, hoping to have shelter this winter, though police have been monitoring him and Ffögeli since kicking him out once already.

 

 

Here is the line-up of InFocus 2017 Photographers:

Hedy Bach

Wes Bell

Lauren Dary

Al Dixon

Gerry Dotto

Emogene

Greg Gerla

Andy Greening

Laura Grier

Aidan Guerra

Chan Hawkins

Joshua Jensen

Candace Makowichuk

Ann Mansolino

Drew May

Deborah Naoum

Rob Pohl

Marko Radovanovic

JT Rehill

Steve Ricketts

Murray Sugden

Anne Tapler White

Vanessa Tignanelli

Curtis Trent

Kevin Tuong

Henry VanderSpek

Peter Young

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

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

 

15 Reasons to Submit to InFocus Photo

The deadline for Canadian photographers to submit to InFocus Photo Exhibit and Award is October 30, 2016! That is only 9 days away! Now is not the time for procrastination; SUBMIT TODAY!

infocus-image-for-amart

The mission of InFocus is to promote and exhibit innovative, thoughtful, and provocative photography created by Canada’s contemporary image makers.

The call for submissions is open to professionals, armatures and students alike. We want to see forward thinking photography that capitalizes on the strengths and subtleties of the medium and takes image-making to a new level.

The goal is to exhibit the best photography from the country!

 

Here are 15 reasons you should submit to InFocus:

 

1. See your photography hung in The Front Gallery, one of Edmonton’s most important artistic hubs. Read more about The Front Gallery by clicking here.

the-front-gallery-logo-infocus-photo-exhibit-alexis-marie-chute

2. Your work will be featured in Exposure Photography Festival, a critical festival of photography in the country.

Exposure Photography Festival Alexis Marie Chute art BLOG

3. Participate in the InFocus Photo People’s Choice Award competition, with the chance to win the cash prize from VISTEK.

 “Eye of the Storm” © Aidan Guerra, InFocus Photo People’s Choice Award winner 2016


“Eye of the Storm” © Aidan Guerra, InFocus Photo People’s Choice Award winner 2016

 

4. PhotoEd Magazine will be publishing a feature on InFocus and you could see one of your images included in the spread.

photoedlogo

5. Sell your work during InFocus. The gallery and InFocus Team will encourage art patrons to support photographers and our creative community in this way.

InFocus Photo Exhibit 2016 Alexis Marie Chute Curator 01

6. Become a part of the InFocus Alumni and network with other photographers and professionals during exhibit and afterwards.

InFocus 2015 Alumni Photographers

InFocus 2015 Alumni Photographers

 

7. Snatch up a volunteer opportunity with InFocus Exhibit 2017 to gain experience mounting and running an exhibition. Email Alexis Marie to find out how to help info@alexismariechute.com

 

8. Add this noteworthy exhibition to help grow your creative CV.

 

9. Attend a rockin’ reception party on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 6-9pm with live music and yummy snacks (and invite your family and friends!).

The Front Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The Front Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

10. Have your work discussed for its merits and inclusion in the show by curator Alexis Marie Chute. This takes place during the Curator Talk on Thursday, February 9 at 7pm in the gallery.

InFocus 001

11. Immerse yourself in photography, discover other image-makers from across the country, learn from them AND take your own work to the next level.

12. Each photographer’s Artist Statement and CV will be displayed at the exhibit to educate the visitors about your work.

13. Have something cool to talk about on Facebook and Twitter other than what you had for breakfast (although we’re sure it was delicious!).

14. Take advantage of InFocus’s national platform to bring more attention to your hard work.

15. Finally, just like the InFocus theme (THE FUTURE), your participation in InFocus will set you apart as a noteworthy photographer to watch.

canada-photography-photographers-infocus-alexis-marie-chute-share

 

Submit to InFocus Photo Exhibit by clicking here. Deadline October 31, 2015!

Like InFocus Photo Exhibit on Facebook.

Follow InFocus Photo on Twitter.