“Seeing Sound” by Tari Beroszi

Tari Beroszi’s large-scale abstract photography panels will open Thursday, February 4 from 6-9pm at Snapdragon Photography/Jennifer Schwartz Gallery in TULA Arts Center.  Beroszi’s work, “Seeing Sound”, is an exploration of music and image.  She uses photography as a tool to translate the language of music into abstract images, resulting in a poetic and conceptual representation of a non-visual language.  Her photographs are the abstract equivalents of what she feels and what she sees from within when listening to music.

It’s Raining Babies!

I’m not sure what was in the air nine months ago, but I have had a ton of newborn photo shoots in the last couple of weeks!  Newborn shoots are so much fun, I don’t even know where to begin.  I recommend trying to bring the baby in at about two weeks old.  There are several reasons for this – they haven’t plumped up yet, they tend to be relatively amenable to whatever we are trying to do, and it’s before the baby acne comes.  But mostly, I just love to hold them when they are so little!

I usually leave at least two hours for the shoot, because the baby will most likely need to eat, may nap a bit, mom and I need to conference about tips and tricks on eating and sleeping. . . It’s fun.  For me at least.  It can be a little stressful for parents, especially if this is their first baby, so not rushing is important.

I recommend bringing both black and white clothing for the parents.  And after every parent in the last couple of weeks has gotten pooped on, I’m going to start recommending back-ups too!  I have all kinds of blankets and hats, but if there’s something special to the baby or the family, they should bring those as well.

So check these newbies out!

Daniel Kariko’s Artist Talk

Luckily plenty of you braved the weather last Thursday night and got to hear Daniel Kariko’s wonderful talk in person.  For those of you who missed it, here is a clip of Daniel discussing his series, “Storm Season”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U1r-8ilG-4

Snapdragon Spotlight: Daniel Kariko

Snapdragon: I’d like to introduce Daniel Kariko – a fantastic photographer whose collection, “Storm Season”, is opening at Snapdragon Photography Gallery on Thursday evening, January 7.  Daniel received his Masters of Fine Arts in 2002 from Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona, and has been a faculty member at Florida State University in Tallahassee since 2002, where he teaches photography and digital imaging.  Welcome Daniel!

Daniel Kariko: Thank you Jennifer for this wonderful opportunity. This will be my first solo exhibition in Atlanta, and I am looking forward to sharing my work with new audience.

S: So tell us a little bit about yourself.  Where you are from, how long you have been taking pictures, and what led you down this path.

DK: I was born in former Yugoslavia, now Northern Serbia. I moved to the States in 1994, to study at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. That is where I started making photographs. I was studying to be a mechanical engineer, however, arts were more fun.

S: Tell us about your collection, “Storm Season”.

DK: This body of work coalesced from several different projects reaching as far back as 1999. I started taking photographs of South Louisiana’s Cajun culture and landscape it occupies. This project combines the cultural documentary with environmental concerns by presenting the Louisiana wetlands issues in context of our global cultural-environmental situation. Louisiana’s wetlands are the proverbial “canary in the mine” for the issues that are affecting the entire world.

S:  What drew you to this subject?

DK: I suppose I think of the disappearing landscape of Louisiana wetlands as a metaphor for my own country, which fell apart during the Balkan wars of the 90’s. This overarching theme is why I am attracted to photographing human-affected landscape.

S: Why did you choose Polaroid pinhole photography for your medium for this project?

DK: I first used this process after the hurricanes of 2005- Katrina and Rita. Up to that point I was photographing landscape using a digital camera, in a very objective, almost disassociated way. After the storms I realized that I would like to use a process that gave emotion to my work, as a conscious aesthetic choice, and created a more direct connection to the location. Polaroid images are developed right there, at the edge of the water, when I peel apart the positive and the negative of the sheet film.

S: Anything else you would like to share?  Any new projects in the works?

DK: I am constantly investigating how landscape defines the people who occupy it. Another long-term project I’ve been working on for the past couple of years is titled SpeculationWorld: Topography of Florida’s Real Estate Crisis. This work combines urban landscapes with aerial photographs of abandoned and foreclosed subdivisions in Florida, where I live.

S: Thank you for sharing with us.  I’m looking forward to the opening of your show!

Be sure to check out Daniel Kariko’s work at Snapdragon Photography Gallery.  The opening reception and artist talk is Thursday, January 7 from 6-9pm (artist talk begins at 7:30pm), and the show will run through the end of the month.

Coming in January – Storm Season by Daniel Kariko

Daniel Kariko’s pinhole photographs were taken in Louisiana wetlands, in the aftermath of recent hurricanes. The Polaroid process was used in order to simplify the creation of the image, and more so, to truly develop the image at the location, giving the project a certain finality.

The barrier islands of Southeast Louisiana represent the “First Line of Defense” against hurricanes. Our often adversarial relationship with the world outside ultimately reveals our inability to adapt to the natural process. We stop the flooding of rivers by building levees, yet that destroys the wetlands that protect us from storm surges. These photographs set out to illustrate the results of such failed relations.

This work is striking in both content and presentation, and we are excited to showcase it at Snapdragon Photography Gallery in January.  The show opens on Thursday, January 7 from 6-9pm.  Daniel Kariko will be giving an artist talk at 7:30pm.  See you there!

Thankful

The fall is a crazy time of year for portrait photographers – holiday cards, holiday pictures, holiday, holiday, holiday.  And in all of this craziness, it’s easy to lose sight of what I’m thankful for professionally.  So over Thanksgiving this year, I gave it some thought. . .

Number one, I absolutely love, adore and cherish my job.  And I am thankful for that.  It’s wonderful to wake up in the morning and look forward to the day ahead.  I’m thankful for baby fingers and toes.  For siblings that hug and kiss and act silly together.  I’m thankful for photoshop.  Very thankful.  I’m thankful for the cookies I keep in my freezer at the gallery.  I’m eating one now.  I’ll also be thankful when they’re gone.

I’m thankful for my amazing assistant who has made my life easier and more joyful.  I’m thankful for my intern who makes me appreciate learning and growing.  I’m thankful for my amazing clients.  We laugh, we share war stories, we become friends.

I’m thankful for my lollipop jar and parents who are pro-bribes.  I’m thankful for my potty word ABC song that gets smiles and laughs from all the kids who aren’t afraid they are going to get in trouble for hearing potty words.

I’m thankful for beautiful, glowing, pregnant women and the partners who support them.  I’m thankful for new moms and experienced moms and everyone who trust me to capture a special moment in time.

I’m thankful to all of you for being a part of my life and giving me an opportunity to do what I love.

ACP’s Public Art Project – Gifted

I was so fortunate to participate in Beth Lilly’s public art project, Gifted.  Check out this interview on Burnaway.org:

http://burnaway.org/2009/11/at-giftings-end-an-interview-with-beth-lilly/

Like how these look?

Imagine them framed, hung, and on sale!  See you tomorrow night for the Fresh Perspectives Artist Talk and Photography Sale.  Reception starts at 6pm, talk starts at 7pm.

Artist Talk and Photography Sale – Thursday, November 5

Artist Talk and Photography Sale

Thursday, November 5

reception begins at 6pm

talk begins at 7pm

Come by the gallery for cocktails, refreshments, and to hear three of the photographers from the Fresh Perspectives show speak about their work.  Amy Miller, executive director of Atlanta Celebrates Photography and the juror for this collection will also speak!

The Hens by Kisa Kavass

ONE NIGHT ONLY!!

All three photographers will have unframed prints from their current collections for sale, and all pieces from the Fresh Perspectives show will be 10% off.

ONLY AT THE ARTIST TALK ON

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5!

Silhouette by Payton Adams

and the speakers are. . .

Kisa Kavass – One of the two grand prize winners of the show, Kisa will speak about how she creates her etherial images on tea-stained watercolor paper.

Dorothy O’Connor – Dorothy builds elaborate sets to shoot her images, like the one featured in the Fresh Perspectives show.  Hear about her set construction and how she photographs models in these tableau vivants.

Payton Adams – Payton is the youngest photographer featured in the collection (she is only 16!) and her piece is one of the most talked about.  Hear the story behind her breathtaking subjects.

Amy Miller – As the executive director of Atlanta Celebrates Photography and the juror for this show, Amy will discuss her process of choosing the pieces for this collection and how they fit into current trends in photography.

Room #1 by Dorothy O’Connor

Fresh Perspectives 2009 opened in conjunction with Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP).  Fresh Perspectives is a group show featuring works from 28 of the best emerging photographers.  Juried by Amy Miller, executive director of ACP, the collection showcases amazing talent.

show runs through November 30

Snapdragon Photography
TULA Art Center @ 75 Bennett Street, Suite K2
Atlanta, GA  30309
www.snapdragonphoto.com
404.790.9078

Painless Photoshoots – It’s not a bribe if you get a great smile!

I’m not recommending this as a general parenting tip, but when you’ve paid for a photo shoot and want it to go really well, setting some, uh, well, “expectations” is not a bad thing.  First of all, know your child.  My daughter will do just about anything – twice – for a pink lollipop.  My son is more of an action figure guy.  And consider the age.  If your child is under three years old, delayed gratification is generally not a concept they understand, so I would consider another strategy all together (another post on that one to come!).

Start talking about the shoot a few days ahead of time, and explain what it will be like and what will be expected of them.  Talk about how fun it will be (You can wear this beautiful dress!  Daddy will be making super silly faces to make you laugh!) and what they can expect in return for a job well done.  And most importantly of all, be relaxed and laid back about it (or fake it!).  Try not to put pressure on the kids or yourself.  Focus on the fun and the treat, not the result.  It will be great!