Selected Works is a group show of photographic prints currently on view at photo-eye Gallery highlighting the diverse styles and subject matter embraced by our represented artists. For the next few weeks, covering the duration of the exhibition, we are engaging the featured artists about their photographs inviting them to tell the stories behind their images.
For the first segment in our Selected Works series we reached out to gallery artists Brad Wilson and Mitch Dobrowner about why they find their work to be personally important and professionally challenging. Brad Wilson speaks to his desire for spontaneity and serendipity after working in a controlled commercial environment, while Mitch Dobrowner pursues perfection and the poetry of light in Iceland.
Brad Wilson
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| Spectacled Owl #1, St. Louis, MO, 2012 — Brad Wilson |
"I spent the early part of my career in New York City photographing subjects I largely controlled: professional models, actors, musicians, or other noteworthy people. In general, I told them exactly what to do and they did it. While this work was rewarding on many levels, after a number of years it had become almost routine. The familiarity and commercial success of this particular photographic style began to prevent me from taking chances and seeing new creative opportunities. I needed a journey into the unknown to restore my vision. This project with animals, and all that it encompassed, was one of those journeys. Now, suddenly, I was facing subjects, who, for the most part, did what they wanted with no regard for me or my artistic agenda. Specific verbal directions were replaced by patient waiting and observation — a kind of meditation in the middle of organized chaos. That in itself was exhilarating, but also immensely difficult. I never knew how much time I would have with each animal: I might get only 10 minutes, or I might have 2 hours. Regardless, the uncommon moments I wanted to capture during these periods were quite rare and very fleeting. I think for me that was the biggest challenge."—Brad Wilson
Read the recent Audubon Magazine feature on Brad Wilson's owl photographs
See more work by Brad Wilson
Mitch Dobrowner
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| Breidamerkurjoekull — Mitch Dobrowner |
"Photography as an exercise in painting with light and shadows. The image Breidamerkurjoekull represents that mantra to me.
I am always paying attention to the subtleties of light. Sometimes I wait for days (or weeks) for all the elements to be right before I consider photographing a subject. That tests my patience but at the end it's always worth the wait.
I've heard about how beautiful the light in Iceland was so I decided to see it for myself. When I first arrived I noticed it (the light) and was struck by its diffused quality and the way it seemed to almost paint the landscape. So I decided to focus on capturing just one picture that would represent that quality.
It took me about a week to get in touch with Iceland. At first I felt so far away from home and was pretty uncomfortable. But the more time I was there the more in-touch I became. The first few days there I knew was wasting my time shooting, as I was not mentally 'there' yet, so I put down my cameras and just tried to relax on get inside myself. It's hard as I get impatient, but I know it's the right think to do. I can always feel when I'm faking it and not really ready to photograph. It's the detox process I always go through when at a new location. It's a real bitch at times.
Finally, on about the 7th day I came upon this landscape. The light was spectacular and my eyes opened and I was ready to shoot again... finally. All I tried to do with this image was communicate how it felt to stand there in sub-zero temperatures (with wind chill) and watch the landscape as the light moved across it."—Mitch Dobrowner
See more work by Mitch Dobrowner
Selected Works is currently on view at photo-eye Gallery and will be up through mid March. For more information or to purchase prints please contact Gallery Director Anne Kelly at 505.988.5152 x 121 or anne@photoeye.com or Gallery Associate Lucas Shaffer at 505.988.5152 x 114 or lucas@photoeye.com
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