While in Carmel, California this past week, I took the opportunity to visit a couple of Photography galleries downtown: The Weston Gallery and Photography West. I enjoy looking at the work of other photographers and this was the opportunity to see some top notch work. There were images from Ansel Adams, the Westons (father and sons), Michael Kenna, William Neill and other familiar names. It is always humbling when you get to see the work of photographers like these but, at the same time, inspirational.
On this visit I was captivated by Micheal Kenna’s work. His B&W images really resonated with me deep inside. Simple strong compositions, displayed in relatively small 8x8 prints (in a world where most photographers are going big). His style is often minimalist. A style I have always liked. If you haven’t seen his work I would suggest you visit his website and take a look – Michael Kenna.
If you don’t visit galleries, I suggest that you do. It is a good way to expand your visual literacy and inspire yourself to new heights in photography. Maybe you will find a style that really resonates with you.
Blog image: A 15sec exposure under the pier at Harmony, California. I chose this image because I noted that Kenna often used long exposures in creating many of his minimalist images. Long exposures smooth out water and remove the detail. Longer (1 min) may have been even better in this case.
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