Editor’s note: The Daily Reporter will feature our “Neighbors” regularly, whether it be someone with an interesting hobby or profession, or a nonprofit group making a difference in our community. Here, Judy Crist, a retired photographer and photographic artist, shares about her work with watercolors and oils.

Daily Reporter: How long have you enjoyed art?

Judy Crist: I cannot remember a time when I did not enjoy art. Even as a child. I took art classes all through school, even a home study art course. For years, I have taken specialty courses at different locations around the country.

DR: Where have you been a photographer?

JC: For two years I was the artist for Firehouse Color Labs in Indianapolis. For six years, my photographic art studio was located in Broad Ripple. In 1990 I moved to Greenfield and opened up Memories in Time Photography and photo restoration studio.

DR: Tell us about a favorite piece and why.

JC: One of my favorite paintings was a 1919 Ford truck that took me several months to complete. Whenever I am out and about, I always have my phone ready to take a picture of something that inspires me. When traveling, I will paint a lot of landscapes of the area.

Judy Crist is a member of the Hancock County Arts Council and also teachers watercolor classes. For more on the council, visit hancockcountyarts.org. To suggest a local artist or musician to be featured in an upcoming edition of the Daily Reporter, email [email protected].

It’s a good sign when an art exhibition is still buzzing with people — on a weekday — months after it opened and the PR blitz has died down.

That means it’s hit on something: a nerve, a heartstring, a void. That’s the case for “In Our Hands: Native Photography, 1890 to Now,” a sweeping and emotional exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The show opened in October and will close Sunday, Jan. 14. Even if you’ve seen it, it requires repeat viewing, and unfortunately, the show will not tour, so this is your chance.

“In Our Hands” features more than 150 images by 70 Native photographers of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and Native American backgrounds.

Over several years, the show was guest-curated by local documentary photographer Jaida Grey Eagle (Oglala Lakota), who until recently was a photojournalist for Sahan Journal.

In planning the show, Grey Eagle was joined by a council of primarily Native artists, scholars and knowledge-sharers. Grey Eagle has often said she has been discouraged from pursuing photography, with many telling her, “That’s a job for white dudes.”

Knowing that she had a guiding hand in this exhibition, then, makes it all the more powerful. What Grey Eagle and company have created is an unprecedented and astounding array of images that are full of love, history, play, community, resilience, protest and aching. 

The show includes the work of heavy hitters — Frank Big Bear (White Earth Nation), Wendy Red Star (Crow), James Luna (Luiseño, Payómkawichum, Ipi and Mexican American) — as well as relatively unknown photographers, or those overlooked by history. Don’t miss Big Bear’s humongous 2014 photo collage “We Are Still Here”; Red Star’s 2021 pedestal cutout series “Amnía (Echo)”; and Luna’s 1991 “Take A Picture with a Real Indian” series.

In a show that feels like it captures 10,000 moments, my favorites are the intimate ones.

Look for the small informal snapshots taken in 1915 by Lucy Sumpty (Kiowa) and Parker McKenzie (Kiowa) of Nettie Odlety (Kiowa), their friend and future wife, respectively. They show happy, carefree moments, an eternal valentine to friendship. Who can photograph us like our friends?

More than a hundred years later, contemporary photographer Kali Spitzer (Kaska Dena, Jewish) created an image with a mother breastfeeding a baby. Spitzer presents them in soft tintype glory; the mother’s hair is frizzy, tousled, her flannel shirt unbuttoned, her blissful baby plays with her necklace. It’s sweet and real. Spitzer said of her work: “Part of my hope is that by making beautiful, intense, loving images that are so large … I’m hoping to make a deep, human connection.”

Edward Curtis couldn’t capture these moments in a million years, because they require a reciprocity between photographer and subject that the white early 20th-century photographer couldn’t, or wouldn’t, fathom.

Curtis is famous for his imagery of Native American life, often inaccurately portraying Native people as a vanishing one. Unfortunately, his imagery and ideas continue to shape mainstream conceptions of Native American life. 

Although it’s not the burden of this show to right the wrongs of Curtis, it is certainly an antidote. It’s a privilege to share in the intimacy that “In Our Hands” offers. Go see this gift to the community while you can.

In the competitive and often unpredictable world of professional photography, managing finances can be as crucial as mastering the lens. The journey from a budding photographer to a seasoned pro is fraught with challenges, not least among them is financial management. This important video from a seasoned professional discusses a crucial mistake less seasoned photographers often make. 

Coming to you from Scott Choucino of Tin House Studio, this insightful video takes a look at a common yet critical mistake many photographers make: the temptation to splurge following the receipt of a big paycheck. This instinct, as described, is often fueled by the initial euphoria of success – the desire to upgrade equipment, buy new accessories, or simply reward oneself. However, this practice is cautioned against, emphasizing the importance of financial prudence in a field where income can be sporadic and unpredictable. Choucino shares personal experiences, highlighting how premature spending on non-essential items can lead to financial stress, especially when subsequent jobs are delayed or payments are slow to arrive.

What stands out is the emphasis on a disciplined approach to financial management. The advice to wait for multiple jobs to come in before considering any major purchases is practical and grounded. It reflects a deep understanding of the industry’s uncertainties and the need for photographers to be financially prepared for dry spells. The focus shifts from immediate gratification to long-term stability, urging photographers to view their earnings through a lens of sustainability rather than momentary excitement. It’s important advice for anyone who wants to make an income from their work. Be sure to check out the video above for the full rundown from Choucino.