Three Gossips at Sunset

I just opened a new show at the Bank Sq Coffee House in my hometown of Beacon New York, and it will be on display until the end of Jan 2012. It features 11 large prints of landscape images I’ve made over the course of the past year or so, many of which I have shared and written about here. It’s also great to have Canson Infinity as a sponsor of the show, and I am very grateful to them for their confidence and support. It’s not often these days you find international companies willing to support small shows in local communities.

This exhibit is somwewhat different from ones I’ve done in the past in terms of how I’ve chosen to display the photographs. I wanted to bring viewers as close to the landscapes as possible, sort of the effect you get with canvas prints without any framing or glass to come between them. But instead of canvas, I wanted to print on my favorite paper, Canson Platine Fibre Rag, which for me translates the image as faithfully as I remember experiencing it in the field. I wanted the experience to be the same as when a print comes out of the printer, and you are able to appreciate all of the subtle details of the image and the paper.

At the same time I wanted viewers to perhaps come closer to appreciating the process of making a print, and how it interprets the original image, or the “performance” as Ansel so famously said. For me the print is half the process of making a successful image, and I wanted to make that clear, in all senses of the word, to the viewer. This meant no frame or glass, or other protective coating, and while this is nothing new in the art world, it was for me.

The only way I knew to do this effectively and economically was to mount the prints to 3/8 self-adhesvive gatorfoam, which is lightweight but very rigid. I printed the images on my Canon iPF8100 with a 2″ white border all around, then mounted them to the 24 x 36 gatorboards and trimmed the excess paper to create a clean and even look. I then glued two small strips of wood to the back for hanging purposes. The wood strips also help to lift the boards off of the wall an inch or so, creating a nice depth to the prints. To me this creates the desired visual effect which is very intimate and striking. I know this is detrimental to the prints themselves since they are not protected from things like dust and other airborne elements, but my emphasis was on viewing, and not on selling these specific prints.

The other aspect about this show that I want to make is that I really enjoy showing my work in settings like a local coffee house. So often people are intimidated by galleries and art-speak that I feel it interferes with the enjoyment and appreciation of the art work. I’ve never been one to call my own work “art”, that’s for others to decide. For me it is my personal expression of what I am passionate about, and I want that to have the potential to be appreciated by anyone, regardless of any other factor.

Plus coffee houses attract all kinds of people, so you never know who will see the work. I have made sales and picked up new clients from past shows, so anything is possible. I am not being negative abut galleries, on the contraty they have helpe me immesnsely as well, you just have to find the right galleries for your particular style and subject matter.

If you happen to be local, stop in and take a look. I will be having an opening reception in a few weeks and I’ll let you know as soon as I have a time and date.

Bank Square Coffee House – 129 Main St, Beacon, NY  Open 6am- pm

This weekend is the 50th Annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show in Armonk, New York, where I’ll be exhibiting for the 3rd straight year. This is one of my favorite shows due to the incredible quality and variety of art on display.

Amazing artists come from near and far to participate, and the photography section in particular is very strong. In addition there is an incredible showing of painting, mixed media, sculpture, and other art forms. It took me several years of applying before I was accepted, so I am really grateful to have the opportunity to show my work in such great company.

What makes this show special for me however are the people who attend, which always seem interested and receptive to whatever you have on display. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will sell, but if you can create a response or reaction, those chances go up significantly.

Esopus, Hudson River

What I’ve learned after five years on the art festival circuit, and especially at his show is that a buyer is only interested in one thing – whether the work speaks to them or not, that makes a connection. Everything else is rather irrelevant – camera, lens, paper, location, and many times even the asking price. If someone is interested in these things, they are probably not going to make a purchase. I often fail at making a connection, but I learn and try again – in my composition, my printing, my presentation, and most important my attitude. Failure means I’m doing the work, gaining experience, and pushing my limits. In this crowded environment, there is no other way.

If you’re in the neighborhood, stop in and say hello. I’m always eager and happy to talk about the work and answer questions, even about gear!

Millbrook Ridge, Mohonk Preserve

I’ve had a fairly hectic schedule since I returned from Utah last week, and it looks like it will stay the same for a few weeks more. I thoroughly enjoyed the photo workshop I conducted at the Mohonk Preserve this weekend, which is always the case when you have a bunch of students that are waiting for you at 5am with cameras and tripods ready. Though the forecast had been questionable all week, we were fortunate to have a fantastic day with an amazing sunrise.

I’m away this memorial day weekend at the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton MA. This art show is rated #3 in the nation for 2011 by American Style Magazine, and it certainly draws a diverse group of artists from around the country. This is my second time doing the festival, so I’m excited about going back to see old customers and share my work from the past year.

Arches National Park, UT

Finally one day after I return from Massachusetts I’m off to Lake Placid in the Adirondacks to lead a 4-day workshop in the High Peaks. I’m really excited about this workshop since I love this part of New York, and if offers a tremendous opportunities for landscape and nature photography. I will try and keep you updated on our day to day activities and provide some behind the scenes info as well.

The Lightroom 3 Masterclass webinar started this past Tuesday and runs for 3 more weeks and 5 more sessions, so you still have time to register and catch the remaining material live. You also have access to all of the recorded webinars in case you miss a class or start late.

Finally I’ve also been commissioned to work on a photo project at Rockefeller State Park in Westchester County, so I will talk more about that and share some of the images in the near future. I don’t see myself sleeping past 4am anytime in the near future!

Rockefeller State Park, NY

To say I am busy is an understatement, yet I am deeply grateful for the opportunities I have to do what I love to do. I’m equally motivated to inspire you to think carefully about what matters to you in your life, and whether you’re giving those areas the attention they need and deserve. We can not be creative and inspired  to express ourselves in a “bubble” that we create when we finally take the camera out of the bag. For me it is a holistic outlook that incorporates all aspects of my life, and only then do I feel I can start to really approach meaningful work.

Nonetheless I work hard every day at this, both with and without the camera. My yoga practice contributes to my vision in ways I still don’t understand, but when I am calm and focused in nature, I make better images. I’ll have more to say on this in the future, but for now just remember that every moment you can spend  doing what you love is something that enriches your everyday life, and those close to you benefit from that as well.

After what seemed like a long winter, my 2010 art show schedule kicks off at the Lyndhurst Art & Crafts Show this weekend. This year I’ll be exhibiting in a double space which will allow me to display some larger canvas prints up to 54″ wide.

I’ll also be showing some new products including Limited Edition Folios – basically 10 hand made prints on really nice fine art paper inside of a custom folder. Each also includes a page of  text with my personal feelings about the collection. I have three collections right now – Hudson Valley, Acadia National Park, and Trees and I’m only making 25 of each collection. Each is comprised of images I feel best represent my passion for each of these locations. (Let’s just say I’ve been very busy during the winter!). I’ll have more details on these folios in an upcoming post.

The first art show of the year is always an adventure for me – getting everything ready, trying new ideas, improving on the presentation, and all of the other details that I think are essential for a successful weekend. But some things never change, and most important is treating every visitor with kindness and respect, and letting them decide for themselves whether the work speaks to them or not.

While I believe in lending a helping hand, I also adhere to the philosophy that I should stay out of the way and let the images do the speaking for me. If it doesn’t grab someone, then great – it’s a genuine experience and I’m grateful for the opportunity either way. Perhaps I lose a few sales with this approach, but it’s the only way I know how to share my work – with honesty and humility.

There’s so much negativity in this world without having to add to the noise – my hope is that for a weekend I can help someone experience something genuine and heartfelt – the beauty of nature and the power it has to shift our reality in positive ways we never imagined.

If you in the area, please stop and for a visit – as they say “mi casa es su casa!”

Crafts at Lyndhurst
Friday -Sunday, April 30 – May 2

I have a simple rule for working with potential and current customers: think about how I would like to be treated in any situation, then go as may steps as I can beyond that. In today’s competitive marketplace, only the remarkable stands out, and that’s always been my goal, whether it’s the work I produce, how I display and  present it, or how I interact with others. I think about how to achieve this goal constantly, in fact you can say I’m obsessed about it.

Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about:

1. What do you do when you’ve printed, matted and framed a large print for a customer, and just before you put it in the box for shipping realize that there are barely visible streaks of glass cleaner on the inside of the glass that can only be seen when you look at the print under a bright light at at a certain angle? Also, UPS is due to pickup in 15 minutes, and it has to ship out that day to make the promised delivery time?

My only choice was to take the frame completely apart, re-clean the glass, assemble again, MAKE SURE the glass was completely clean by having my quality control department run an inspection (wife and son), then package the frame. At this point I’ve missed the UPS truck, so I had to drive to the nearest UPS drop-off 15 miles away to ensure delivery as promised. Would the customer have noticed the streaks? Doubtful, but I noticed, and that made it unacceptable.

2. What do you do when you ship a framed print to a new customer and the glass breaks during shipment?

This happened twice recently. In one instance, I called a local frame shop and pre-paid to have the frame picked up, have a new piece of glass installed, then delivered to the customer the same day. In another instance, the frame was damaged as a result of the glass breaking, so I made a completely new print, and personally delivered it to the customer’s home. Were there other ways to handle this? Sure, but none that would have been acceptable to me.

There is nothing like building a true relationship with a customer, and if I’m fortunate, gaining a friend. Not only do I love what I do, but I feel honored when someone is willing to purchase one of my prints. It truly means a great deal to me, and I feel a responsibility to reward that customer with the best experience I can provide. This has many benefits down the road, both to the customer and myself. I’ve learned that referrals are like gold, but they must be earned to be truly effective. Once earned, they are more powerful than the biggest advertising or marketing budgets. I’ve created a relationship one person at a time, and that is truly satisfying.

I’m at the One Of Kind Show in NYC this weekend, and you can be sure I’ll be focusing on building new relationships with people who like and enjoy coming closest to nature.

I’ll be very busy this weekend getting ready for the inaugural One Of A Kind Show in NYC next weekend. Held in Pier 94 on the West Side of Manhattan, it is definitely the biggest and most expensive show I’ve ever participated in. Doing first time shows is always a risky proposition, but given the location and the subject matter of my work (Hudson Valley), I feel fairly confident and I’m looking forward to the experience.

I have to say the amount of promotion that the show organizers have done so far is truly incredible, with major spots in newspapers, TV, magazines, Facebook, Twitter, brochures, and other promotional materials. They gave me 10 special VIP passes for my top customers that gives them free admittance, plus extras like drinks and shipping discounts- the red carpet treatment. There will be a preview night on Thursday where artist’s get to highlight their work, and meet media and press.

As usual, I’ll be working late in to the night this weekend getting everything ready, with a combination of canvas and framed prints. I’m also introducing new “digital mat” prints that I hope will allow me to present a high quality format at a more affordable price point. Basically, the print and mat is created in Photoshop, printed on a really nice watercolor paper, mounted on a rigid board, then framed without glass. I coat the print with a protective coating for dust and UV since there is no glass to protect it otherwise. This creates a very unique look, where the print is much more dimensional, has no glare, and the mats look incredibly convincing.

Is this for everyone? Of course not, and I don’t mean them to replace real traditional mats. In fact, I just recently purchased an Esterly Standard Speed-Mat for my studio (it’s mounted on the wall in the 2nd and 3rd photo) to give me more flexibility and efficiency in cutting mats. I love the look of double mats for large prints, and the Speed Mat makes cutting them a piece of cake.

But I’m always looking for different ways to give potential customers options, and think this is a great way to get a unique print in an office and home setting where cost and/or glare is a problem. I’ve even used these in a large medical office, and they’ve gotten a great response. Plus they just look cool!

As I’ve said here many times before, selling at an art show is hard work, but it’s a great feeling when that work pays off financially, and I’ve been very fortunate in that regard. But in all honesty, it’s the ability to share my enthusiasm and passion for nature with others that really makes the hard work worth it. This particular show will require 12-14 hour work days, and that doesn’t include time in the studio in preparation. But I get tremendous satisfaction from meeting and talking to people about their interests in nature and photography. And given the rather solitary work of a landscape photographer, it’s a welcome change.

More to come on the show – stay tuned!

I spent the weekend exhibiting at the 48th Armonk Outdoor Art Show, and though we had a rain out on Saturday, the weather was perfect on Sunday, and the crowds came out in substantial numbers. It was one of the best organized shows I have been in, and everything from the artists to the food was top notch.

This is definitely the most art oriented show I have ever participated in, and the very high quality of work on display was amazing and inspiring. There were probably close to 15 photographers, twice as many painters, and lots of mixed media, sculpture, digital art, and other 2 dimensional work. The photography was some of the best I have seen at any show I have participated in, with a strong showing in landscapes, nature, abstract, and street photography from around the world. Some notable names included Michael Chen from NYC, and John Scanlan who specializes in amazing large format images from Europe and other exotic locations.

I saw little evidence of a recession as far as art was concerned, with many pieces selling regularly for thousands of dollars. My neighbor, a painter from Ohio sold five originals with an average price  of $4,000. I ‘ve heard many proclaim that photography doesn’t sell any longer due to the ubiquity of digital cameras, but again, I spoke to several photographers who had a good weekend.

I had a very good weekend, and want to thank everyone who visited and made a purchase. I sold prints in the largest sizes I had, as well as many  2010 calendars. Though I was the only photographer with images of the Hudson Valley, I sold an equal amount from both local and non-local locations.

BTW- all of those who pre-ordered calendars on the website should be receiving them within then next few days.

What I did notice is that buyers are much more discerning and careful about spending their money, and it takes a combination of excellent work, an attractive presentation, a good attitude, and most of all, treating customers the way you would want to be treated in order to make a sale. Standing out from the crowd is the key, and in a competitive environment such as one of the top art shows in the country, this is REALLY difficult. But I learned a lot, both from other exhibitors and visitors, and hopefully can return in 2010 with a stronger showing.

I’m off to Maine next week for a private workshop, then two workshops in the Hudson Valley, and finally a break during the month of November where I plan to focus on shooting. The next show will be  the One Of A Kind Show in NYC in December, and I plan on sharing all of the “behind the scenes” details extensively here on the blog – stay tuned…

I’ve spent the better part of the week preparing for the Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst, a major 3 day art festival in Tarrytown, New York taking place this weekend. This will be my first time participating in this show which has only recently begun to accept photographers. Why this is I’m not sure, but perhaps it has something to do with the whole “photography as fine art” debate. To be honest, I don’t really care why, and I’m looking forward to a good weekend sharing my passion and enthusiasm for nature, the Hudson Valley, and photography with visitors to my booth.

My studio turns into a rather chaotic environment the week before an art show, and keeping track of everything that needs to get done falls to my assistant (and wife) Brenda. Having someone take care of the details keeps me sane, and allows me to focus on the creative and labor intensive preparation – printing, mat cutting, framing, canvas stretching, spray coating, and many other little things too long to list.

I typically bring anywhere from 25-30 canvas prints in varying sizes, plus 10-15 framed pieces, and about 40 matted prints in 3 different sizes. This is for a local show where I can return to my studio each night to re-stock if I have to. In addition, there are note cards, calendars, and posters to make and bring as well.

I’m also very big on presentation, and spend lots of time designing signs, banners, info material (bio, print info, etc) and newsletter sign-up sheets. I’m a firm believer that your presentation reflects your dedication and professionalism, and I have always taken great pride in these areas. Is it a tremendous amount of work? Definitely, but that’s just part of what it takes to succeed in any worthwhile endeavor.

Those who think it’s as easy as just making photographs all day long then framing a few with a price tag are usually out of the show circuit fairly quickly. And today’s economy is especially difficult for any artist. A long-time show exhibitor told me today that the current economic climate is the worst he has seen in his career, which got started in the 70′s. But I believe those that survive will have to be dedicated, and willing to adapt and embrace new ways of selling and marketing your own work. Another artist recently told me he had yet to see the benefit of having his own website. Big mistake in my opinion. Time will tell…

That’s all the energy I have for tonight…but I am hopeful for a better economic future, and will continue to market myself even more strongly than ever before. Success in the shows helps me spend more time doing what I love to do, experiencing nature and the amazing moments I attempt to capture and share with others.

It’s been a busy 6 weeks, so I thought I would share some recent news and upcoming events.

On the art fair scene, I’ve exhibited in art and craft shows in New Paltz, White Plains (where I won the second place award), Beacon, and Rhinebeck. Though they are certainly a lot of work, I enjoy meeting new people as well as past customers and workshop students. The response to my new canvas prints has been very enthusiastic, and I continue to improve both the quality of the printing and framing as I experiment with different materials. I hope to get a new 44″ printer this summer which will allow me to create larger pieces for those with bigger spaces. I’m working on a future post about how I make my canvas prints, so stay tuned.

I’ve also been given the opportunity to display my prints and posters at a few retail locations in the area, including Mountain Tops in Beacon, and the EMS store in Poughkeepsie, NY. In addition to the publicity, it’s a great opportunity to  expose shoppers to some great hikes and views in the Hudson Valley they may not be aware of.

EMS Poughkeepsie

I’ll be featured in a new show at the RiverWinds Gallery next month titled “A Salute to the Hudson River – Through a Photographer’s Eye” as well as a solo show at the Bannerman Gallery in August. I’m looking forward to both since they are in my hometown, and it’s always great to see the local community. The Riverwinds show will include other photographers, and I’m looking forward to seeing their perspectives of a familiar subject.

There will be more in the upcoming July issue of the “Beyond the Lens” Newsletter, so subscribe here, and read past issues here.

This past weekend was the start of the 2009 art show schedule for me at the 28th New Paltz Art and Crafts Fair. I love these events as it gives me the opportunity to meet and interact with lots of new people, get real-world feedback on new images, and of-course gain new customers and patrons.

As usual, there are lots of questions about cameras, printing, technique, places I’ve visited, what motivates me, and how I make a living doing what I love. I go out of my way to answer each and every one of them because I don’t really believe in secrets, and my passion for what I do leaves me no other choice. I believe it is this passion and motivation that helps anyone achieve their goals, not some “secret” or special knowledge that one must guard selfishly.

If there was one theme this weekend it had to do with the surprise of many when they realized that my landscape images where of local places, and how I managed to find “beauty” in locations not normally associated with grand landscapes. That the Hudson River could look so different from what most only know from their everyday perceptions was overheard repeatedly. When asked, I always answered that it is more than just the image for me, but about learning and discovery; about the world, but also about myself. My best images reflect what I see and seek in life, what I want to convey to others, and what is most important about the process, the experience.

“The true journey of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having fresh eyes.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

While many travel to far away places to find beauty, it is all around us, especially here in our backyard. But most importantly, it is within us, and it is how I try to approach my photography regardless of where I am. My list of landscapes to visit around the world is long, but whether I get to them all or not doesn’t matter. What does matter is continuing to use the language of photography to say something meaningful, and for that we only need inspiration.

I’ll be at the White Plains Outdoor Art Festival this weekend where I’m honored to be the featured artist, so I’m looking forward to another good show. Most of my images will be shown in canvas, so it’s back to printing and mounting non-stop for the next few days. Stop in if you can, otherwise see you here after the busy weekend!