Although many of my images are multi-colored, and some are monochrome, I had a time, this past year, when (for some unknown reason) “Gold” was the color of choice and just felt right for the image being created.  Here is a collection of some of those “Golden Images” that I hope viewers will find enjoyable.

In school, I enjoyed geometry and I still like using these images in many of my artwork.  The point, line, and plane can give rise to enjoyable constructs in two dimensions as well as three.  Although many people like symmetry, my images are typically asymmetric… with more focus more on the composition to provide the

balance of the image.  These images are non-normal and somewhat imaginary, but I hope they provide an impression that is pleasing to the eye and invoke visual exploration upon which one can reflect.

 

Interchange

 

more . . . . .

 

EMOTIONS – new competition and group exhibition

 

Exhibitions Without Walls has just passed a major milestone, with six years of operation. We’ve blown out the candles, and the cake tasted great – and now we want to thank YOU because YOUR SUPPORT has made it possible.

 

 

As I began to think about this further, there are many things that helped, but some of the major ones have been:

• Holding competitions at least three times a year for 6 years
• Quality of Jurors on our judging panel
• Interviews with photographers and digital artists – in the last six years we have done interviews with over 125 photographers and digital artists
• Instigated “Featured Artist”
• Adding new activities to Exhibitions Without Walls – newest activity is formalizing the opportunity for an Online Solo Exhibition.
• Attracting more and more subscribers to our site

There are other factors for our success,  but it all comes down to YOUR support.  Thank you, and we’ll see what we can do in the coming years together.

 

 

Interview with Tom Freda

EWW: I am curious to know what qualities of your work would others comment on first?

Tom: Usually the colour. I began as a colour photographer shooting 35mm Kodachrome and, in retrospect, I think over the years I developed an affinity for that vibrant look. Or, maybe it’s the other way around; I chose Kodachrome because I liked its colour. Either way, I do often get positive feedback about it.

I follow the ethos that if you’re going to be a colour landscape photographer, you have to recognize that color is just as important as other elements of a scene, such as light, line, form, shape, tone and so on.

EWW: What are your challenges in doing your work?

Tom: Being primarily an outdoor photographer, of course, I’d have to say the biggest challenge is the weather. I specialize in Canadian scenes, so it goes without saying that during at least a quarter of the year, I’m out shooting when most sensible people are either skiing or caccooned in their homes waiting for spring. With experience, I learned to dress properly, follow weather reports and understand and read the weather in real time.

Cameras aren’t particularly fond of the cold either. I take lots of spare batteries and have even resorted to wiring my camera to a warm battery in my pocket.

EWW:  When doing a shoot, besides the weather, what are the challenges?

Tom: All of my landscape and seascape scenes have been done on a tripod, so there’s much more unpacking, set up, filtration, test shots, etc. That slower style tends to allow more contemplation about the entire image-making process. However, out in the wild, it also makes one more vulnerable to creatures that either aren’t particularly happy with me invading their space or are thrilled that I’m there as a potential meal. Grizzly bears and rattlesnakes, both of which I’ve encountered, are the bigger variety. But they’re amateurs compared to bloodthirsty mosquitos and ticks that are always present during the peak seasons of May through September. Again, dressing right and understanding the enemy is key.

EWW: You have several galleries such as landscapes, cities, people, etc.  Do you have a favorite?

Tom: Tough question. I studied photography at two technical institutes that trained me to handle just about any photographic assignment. Over the years, I think I put all of that training to use doing everything from products & catalog, portraits, industry, travel, architecture, and of course, landscapes. Pinning down one favorite isn’t so easy. I truly enjoy them all. However, I do have a soft spot for the outdoors and traveling so, being at an age when I can now choose not to do assignment work, landscape photography has just naturally become my favorite.

I also enjoy infrared photography but haven’t yet found a market for its unique “otherworldly” look. I have an exhibition planned for that collection in 2019.

 

EWW: Excluding subject matter, are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, perspective, lighting, movement, style, etc.?

Tom: I do tend to shoot early or late in the day a lot, so warm, contrasty light or fog and mist are frequent elements of my work. I’m also rather partial to leading lines and extreme depth of field. For the latter, I use a PC lens or focus-stacking.

As far as “style” goes; I guess I’m kind of old-school in my taste for traditional landscapes. I split my shooting between natural scenes and those, for lack of a proper term; “incorporate a human element without including a person.” For example; a beached fishing boat, a lighthouse, an old plow in a field, etc.

Because I carry a camera everywhere, I’ll photograph just about anything interesting I see when I’m out. Much of that diversity is reflected in my online photos, and for those, rather than following one particular formula, I like to mix it up a bit and surprise viewers of my work.

EWW:  Do you think it is important for photographic artists to have their own website, in addition to another gallery they appear on?

Tom: If they’re just an enthusiastic and not trying to sell their work, not really. But if they want to make money from it, absolutely. Even if it’s basic and only has a small sampling of work, a bio and contact info, it can be a very valuable marketing tool.

I’ve had a photography website since 1992, back when many of my clients weren’t sure what a website was or even had an email address. It was more or less a novelty back then, but now, a website has proven to be as integral to any commercial enterprise as a business card and letterhead were in the pre-digital days.

 

EWW:  What do you see, or have experienced, as the most effective way for you to market and promote you and your work?

Tom: When I first began promoting my photography, I did a lot of cold calling and promo card mailings. It may not be fashionable in the digital age, but I think emerging photographers can still benefit from a quick introductory phone call to a photo editor or art director, even if it merely opens the door to follow up by email.

Up until ten years or so ago, I also had several stock agencies representing me that provided a relatively stable income to compliment my assignment work. But when royalty-free took over and licensing fees plummeted, I began representing myself exclusively. Anyone without the wherewithal to sell their own work can still make a few bucks off the stock agencies, though.

A lot of new clients also land on my photo sharing pages through online searches. Of them, I’d say that Flickr produces a slightly higher amount of new clients – possibly because I’ve been using it for the longest time (12 years). Close behind would be 500px. For clients to find images through online searches, it’s integral to make sure uploads have extensive and accurate meta tags.

I’m new to Instagram. I can see its possibilities, but my personal preference for viewing photos is big with lots of detail, rather than on a tiny smartphone screen. Its audience is huge, so maybe over time, I’ll end up embracing it.

EWW:  Do you use social media platforms to market and promote your work?  If you do use social media platform seems, which one(s) work the best for you?

Tom: In addition to the photo sharing sites, I use Facebook and Twitter. After all, one can’t ignore the huge potential of having your work visible to millions of people. I’ve been with Facebook off and on since it began, Twitter for a little less. The Facebook groups and networking with other photographers are a nice bonus.

EWW:  Just to wrap up this interview, do you have any final thoughts about you and your work that you think would be important for others to know about?

Tom: Well, I guess I should say that I owe my longevity in this business to having branched out part-time into other areas. Like any field, I believe it’s important to take a break now and then to help avoid creative blocks or burn-out. So far, that seems to work for me. Some other areas I’m involved with are website content management, technical writing, and volunteer activism.

But just in case an amazing photo opportunity comes up while doing that, a camera is always by my side!

 

Website(s): www.tomfreda.com

 

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomfreda/

500px: https://500px.com/tomfreda

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomfredaphotos

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomFredaPhoto

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom_freda_photo/

 

EWW: I am curious to know if someone was asked to make a comment about your work, what do you think they would say?

David: I would like to think the viewer might comment that the photos capture the mood and character of the scene that draws them in and makes them feel part of the moment in which the photo was taken. The images evoke the sense that the world which we live in has a beauty to it that is both unique and completely accessible if we just slow down and look.

 

EWW: Excluding subject matter, are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, perspective, lighting, movement, contrast, style, etc.?

David:  I rely on natural light most of the time, and one of my favorite ways to capture light is shooting into the direction the sun is shining. Whether the sun is visible in the frame, or the subject and surroundings are backlit by the sunlight, I am immediately drawn to that situation. I also concentrate a great deal on macro photography, which obviously concentrates on the very small scenes, mostly at ground level. I would say I am not shy about portraying vibrant colors, especially those that occur in nature.

EWW: One gallery in your portfolio focuses on Black and White.  What do black and white images do to a subject matter that color cannot do?

David: I think black and white can highlight specific areas that color can sometimes distract from, like texture and form. If the texture of a feather is what drew me to the shot in the first place, black and white can help focus the viewer’s attention on where I want it to go. From an artistic view, black and white strips away the color in which most people experience the world visually. This can add a sense of mystery to a scene that can’t always be captured in color.

EWW:  Do you think it is important for photographic artists to have their own website, in addition to another gallery they appear on?

David:  I have a few galleries that are available to view online and am pretty happy with how they look and function, but most of those have limited templates in which to present your work. Last year I thought it was time to get my own site in order to add a more personal touch to the presentation. I’m still playing around with it, but it should be live within the next couple of months or so.

 

EWW:  Do you use social media platforms to market and promote your work?  If you do use social media platform seems, which one(s) work the best for you?

David:  Instagram has recently become one of my favorite ways of getting my work out there to a large audience, being such a visual platform. Facebook is my other favorite, mostly because it plays into the previous answer regarding people referring your work to someone they think may be interested in it. I use Twitter as well, which links to a blog I have had for several years.

 

EWW:  Just to wrap up this interview, do you have any final thoughts about you and your work that you think would be important for others to know about?

David:  While I love to explore different subject matter and techniques, my photography is most linked to my love of hiking and of nature in general. I still think of it as a visual blog chronicling my adventures, whether they are in my backyard or in a National Park. You don’t have to go on safari to find something amazing, you can witness something incredible in a small garden or a local park if you sit for a while and just watch. I think this is especially true with insects, who occupy a tiny and mostly unseen world to the average person. They can be every bit as majestic as a lion or an eagle, and they are all around us. Hopefully, my photographs can inspire someone to take a second look at their surroundings in a new light, whatever those surroundings might be.

 

Website(s):

www.david-lamb.pixels.com

www.redbubble.com/people/dlamb

https://500px.com/dlamb302

www.facebook.com/dlambphoto

www.instagram.com/david_lamb

 

Blog URL

https://dlambphotography.blogspot.com/

 

Click on an image to enlarge it.

 

Interview with Just MagD

The world is my biggest inspiration. Nature is art. Cities and human creation can also be very inspiring. The graphic patterns of some buildings, houses, or streets make for an interesting design. colors, contrasts, life, its all before our eyes, it’s just a matter of interpretation, culture, and background. What amazes me most is how humans and nature mix, or don’t mix at all.  It also intrigues me how humans relate to each other.  Humans are constantly changing, affecting what is around them; adapting to nature, damaging it, when all that matters is respect.  For my personal work, which stems from these ideas, I’m mostly inspired by all the fairy tales my mom read to me when I was a kid, but always with that grown-up touch mixed with what is happening in the world.

 EWW: Besides the different Gallery Subjects, are there any themes that consistently occur in your work such as style, color, perspective, lighting movement, etc.?

JustMagD: Most of my portfolio consists of travels, landscapes & street photos. It is all in color.  The world is so colorful it’s difficult for me to shoot in black and white. I like to include irony in my street photos, usually doing so with a good composition. I think the composition is one important aspect of photography, and color can affect it a lot. Recently I have been in a cold climate, so my photos are white and blue and cold 😉

For my personal work, I love to use different photo collages and mixed media. There is usually a human presence, either clearly visible or just suggested.  Most of these projects question humanity, body and soul, feelings, and stage of life.

 

EWW:  What comments would others make about your work?  Is that consistent with what you would say about your work?

 JustMagD:  That’s a hard question.  I have had good comments about my photos taken in Alaska, especially because most of my audience is from France and not very used to that kind of life. Through my work, I hope to share the wilderness awe I discovered while I was there.

I have heard people say that my photo series “Rest in Pieces” was a bit “dark”.  This is what I would call “a touch of dystopia”.  Also, when they saw the art book I made of it, they said it was very poetic.  That’s a good mix for me, “dystopian poetry”.

EWW:  Your portfolio includes many galleries.  Is there one gallery in particularly you like to work with or have enjoyed working on?  Why?

JustMagD: I love shooting in Alaska, everything is so quiet there and so white.   There is a natural light reflection making everything look so soft. Going out is always an adventure.  You never really know what you’re going to see, if animals are going to be around, or if the Northern Lights will show up.  At the end, the magic surrounds you and makes you enjoy every second of the trip.  No matter how many good photos you took the moment was full of wonder.

EWW: Do you use social media platforms to generate exposure and the marketing of your work?  If yes, which social media platform(s) do you find to be the most successful for you?

JustMagD:    I’m on linkedin, instagram, flickr, and facebook. It takes a lot of time and energy to be present on these.  It’s not like you post something and become famous in an instant. You must be regular with your timing when it comes to posting things, and you must “like” and “share” other people’s publications.  It is also important to exchange ideas and communicate with other artists, photographers, magazines, blogs, etc…. My favorite is Facebook. I like it because it’s so general and inspirational.  You get everything, and you can share anything you want; photos, videos, texts, articles, a mood, or a comment.  You can also get in touch with artists and bloggers, for me, it’s the easiest one.

EWW:  Just to wrap up this interview.  Do you have any final thoughts about you and your work, which you think would be important for others to know about?

JustMagD:    I have heard many times, “As a photographer, I should specialize in one direction and stick to it.” But I am an artist.  I am curious about everything, and love learning new things. It is always hard for me to choose when there is so much going on everywhere around me… I do what I love, and I love what I’m doing.

My website as a long-term project reflects this.  It is always changing and improving the viewer experience, as I want to share my vision of the world.  And my vision of the world we all live in comes from my travel experiences crossing other people’s lives, and the natural wonders rendered in more classical photos. Influenced by such, my inside deeper feelings concerning the human soul and body, flow out, represented by a more artsy look, along with collage and mixed media.
All my projects, even though they are totally different in style, are connected. My photos come from how I feel, and how I feel comes from what I have lived and experienced.
A good photo should move you. It will touch you for its beauty, composition, colors, angriness, sadness, fun, etc. or it won’t. It just all depends on who you are.

To finish up, I just want to say thank you to my boyfriend, parents, and brother who is always patient with me, and the best support I could ask for, I love you guys!

 

Website: http://www.justmagd.com/

Other sites or blog: http://www.facebook.com/JustMagd

https://www.instagram.com/justmagd/

 

Click on an image to enlarge it. 

 

EWW: What is the most memorable comment you’ve ever received about your artwork?

John:  Because I sell my photographs at juried art shows, I hear a lot of comments.  The one that I like most is when people say, “Oh, it feels so serene in here.”, as they enter my booth.  However, my all-time favorite comment came from a little girl talking to her father about a piece titled “Reeds” (which can be found on my website).  She told her dad, “It looks like one of those dead, dried-out spiders you find in the basement in the winter-time.”

EWW: Excluding subject matter, are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, perspective, lighting, movement, style, etc.?

John:  As an artist, my primary goal is to create work that provokes an emotional response.  The mood I try to consistently invoke is one of calmness, serenity, tranquility … perhaps the Japanese word “wa” describes it best. I find the soft luminance and pastel color of early morning light goes a long way to engender that mood.

 Visually, nature can be quite chaotic.  Locating the simple compositions that I prefer is challenging, but I find them to be very rewarding.  The elegance, the poetic beauty of simplicity leads naturally to feelings of balance and harmony.

For me, color is nearly as important as composition.   I am particularly attracted to the pastel color palette.  I have numerous photographs that I think are technically good photographs, but if the color isn’t right then the photograph isn’t right.

EWW:  Do you think it is important for photographic artists to have their own website, in addition to appearing on other art gallery websites?

 John:  Today it is a virtual requirement for artists/photographers to have their own website.  Customers expect it and industry professionals expect it.

EWW:  Do you use social media platforms to market and promote your work?  If you do use social media platform seems, which one(s) work the best for you?

John:  I am on Facebook.  I use it to show select photographs to gauge the reaction to images I am considering placing in my booth.  While I may love a given image, I don’t want to take up scarce wall space in my booth for images with limited appeal.

 

Websites: http://jfweller.com

http://www.Facebook.com/photowellfinearrt

“Clinging to the Past” by Mary Gerakaris was one of the most outstanding entries submitted to the Manhattan Arts International juried “New Beginnings” 2018 online exhibition and a clear choice for an Award of Excellence. The artist’s unique approach to her subject combined with her skillful photographic techniques had an immediate visceral impact on me.  As the curator, it was an honor to include her photograph in the exhibition.”
– Renee Phillips, The Artrepreneur Coach & Director, Manhattan Arts International

 

Click on an image to enlarge it.

 

Interview with Mary Gerakaris

EWW: You seem to have several subject matters. Is there one that you enjoy the most?

Mary: I enjoy all subject matter and what I photograph depends a lot on where I am and what I see.   My goal is to find beauty, and sometimes irony, in the form of people, nature, animals or buildings. However, I am particularly drawn to abstractions and they can be found in both natural and manmade objects.

EWW: Excluding subject matter, are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, perspective, lighting, movement, style, etc.?

Mary: Because I was an art major before I studied photography, I feel that composition is key to taking quality photographs. So, to have a pleasing composition, color, perspective and lighting all come into play. I try to do as much composing as possible through the lens to minimize the adjustments made on the computer.

EWW: When you do a photoshoot. What do you focus on first? Technical or aesthetics?

Mary: Always aesthetics first. I feel that technical skills are ingrained…they have to be, or you can miss a moment.

EWW: I am curious to know if someone was asked to make a comment about your work, what do you think they would say?

Mary: Well, this is a tough one. From my perspective…creative thought-provoking, pleasing. My hope is that people who look at my work will be as excited as I am.

EWW: A few of your images are Black and White. How do you decide to work in black and white versus color?

Mary: Color can get in the way. If you look at images from great photographers of the past, who could only work in black and white, you will see some stunning images.  I must say I do like working in color, but the color in some images is too subtle, and they look better in black and white. At times I feel the composition is the strongest element in a photograph, so I eliminate the color altogether.

EWW: What do you see, or have experienced, as the most effective way for you to market and promote you and your work?

Mary: So far, exhibits and word of mouth have been the most successful. I am developing a better online presence, but there is a tremendous amount of competition out there. I think setting up a business takes time and patience.

EWW: Do you think it is important for photographic artists to have their own website, in addition to other online galleries they appear on?

Mary: Absolutely. My website is where I post most of my new work and I can update it constantly. Online galleries seem to be helpful only if they focus on a limited number of artists.

EWW: Do you use social media platforms to market and promote your work? If you do use social media platform seems, which one(s) work the best for you?

Mary: Yes, I do. My website has been very helpful, and I have a business page on Facebook and Instagram.

EWW: Just to wrap up this interview, do you have any final thoughts about you and your work that you think would be important for others to know about?

Mary: I feel very strongly about the art that I produce…photography is a passion for me. My hope is to bring not only thought-provoking but beautiful images to people and to help elevate photography to the art form that it is.

 

Website(s): www.http://maryg-photo.com

 

 

EWW: I am curious to know if someone was asked to make a comment about your work, what do you think they would say?

PAUL: That’s a hard question to answer, art is subjective and a very individual process. For me, art is anything that provokes thought or feeling so I guess I can’t say for sure how others view my work I can only hope that they feel something or some type of connection to the subject when they do.

EWW: How did you get started as a photographer?

PAUL:  I started quite late in life, I picked up my first camera at the age of 30 as a birthday present to myself. I began with a little entry level DSLR, a Canon 1100D, and found myself pointing it in every direction I could think of. I spent the next year or so taking what I would call “snaps” of anything I came across, flowers, landscapes, people, animals. You name it I do it. One day after finding myself at a loss I decided to visit my local zoo and that’s where my fascination with photographing animals began. I found I was noticing similarities between human and animal behaviors and decided that was the direction I wanted to take my art.

Now here I am 6 years down the line, multiple magazine and website features, book covers, international sales and shooting with my dream Hasselblad rig. I know it’s a cliché, but I truly feel blessed to be in the position I’m in.

EWW: One of your portfolio series is black & white instead of color.  What does this achieve that color would not?  How do you choose whether an image should be black and white or color?

Paul:  When we view an image in colour we tend to concentrate more on the colours themselves than the subject. With a monochrome or black and white image, there’s nothing to hide behind, the thing that draws the viewer to the subject is the impact it has. I feel a black and white image needs to be taken with that in mind, so you really need to concentrate on the composition and tones more so than with a colour image.

My aim is to convey feeling in all my work and sometimes the only way to get my message across is to shoot it

EWW: Excluding subject matter, are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, perspective, lighting, movement, style, etc.?

PAUL: My main theme that I try to retain in all my work is emotion and a human connection. As I said previously, humans and animals share many similar traits but sometimes we seem to forget that. Animals laugh, they get excited, they grieve the same as we do and that’s what I try to capture.

EWW:  Do you think it is important for photographic artists to have their own website, in addition to another gallery they appear on?

PAUL:  Of course, websites are fantastic tools and nowadays as an artist, you are competing against hundreds of thousands just like yourself, a website is a great way of letting people know who you are and what you can offer.

EWW:  What have you experienced, as the most effective way for you to market and promote you and your work?

PAUL:  I’m a big fan of social media, you have an unlimited audience, everybody is on social media now from Facebook to Instagram to Twitter, you name it people use it. It’s a platform that opens the doors to millions of potential clients, you just can’t get that type of exposure anywhere else.

EWW:  Do you use social media platforms to market and promote your work?  If you do use social media platform seems, which one(s) work the best for you?

PAUL:  Yes, I’m an avid social media user, as I said there are millions of people looking at social media pages every minute of the day so for me, it’s a no-brainer. I have found the best platforms for me have been Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

EWW:  Just to wrap up this interview, do you have any final thoughts about you and your work that you think would be important for others to know about?

PAUL:  My aim is to capture my subjects in such a way that it reminds the viewer how closely related we are to our animal counterparts. If a viewer can look at one of my pieces and feel something or say to themselves “Yeah, I get that “then I feel I’ve done my subjects justice and that’s the most important thing to me.

 

Website: http://paul-neville.pixels.com/