For the first time in nine years, the Brandywine River Museum of Art has a photography exhibit on display.

“Frank Stewart’s Nexus: An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960s to the Present” runs through Sept. 22.

He began shooting photos at 14 when he and his mother attended the 1963 Martin Luther King March on Washington, D.C.

Now 75, Stewart said at a press preview that he wanted to be a painter, but photography became his primary art.

“My mother was a painter and I wanted to follow in her footsteps and make her proud of me,” he said. “I started painting and then I found out I was terrible.”

Stewart was impatient with painting, he said, because it took too long, but he could shoot 36 exposures in a short time.

“I could find out how many were terrible right away,” he said.

Stewart’s 1997 “Stomping the Blues” is gelatin silver print from the collection of Rob Gibson of Savannah, Georgia.

Amanda Burdan, the museum’s senior curator, said the Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, institution was interested in Stewart’s work partly because it had been nearly a decade since it offered a photography exhibit.

“We want to introduce it in a smart and thoughtful way,” she said.

The last photography exhibit at the Brandywine was James Welling’s “Things Beyond Resemblance” in August of 2015. It featured photos he took of sites painted by artist Andrew Wyeth, source of one of the museum’s core collections.

“One of the things that we are really attracted to in the larger body of Frank’s work is his social consciousness, his intelligent environmental issues,” Burdan said. “That inspired us to get to know his work more, but it’s really a retrospective of his entire career.”

Stewart’s exhibit

The exhibit — co-curated by Ruth Fine, formerly of the National Gallery of Art in D.C., and Fred Moten, a poet, scholar and professor of performance studies at the NYU Tisch School of Fine Arts, along with Burdan — is broken down into seven sections, with representing a theme.

“Smoke and the Lovers” taking in Memphis at Hawkins Grill in 1992 is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Rituals, Sound Taste Touch, Africa Caribbean New Orleans: Searching for Roots, Artist Portraits Windows Drawings, Social Practice, Cultures in Color, and Chromatic Music. In all, those themes reflect Stewart’s exploration of life and artistic style.

Fine said the Ritual section of the exhibit starts with him taking pictures of the march and reflects his search for his background.

“When he did those,” she said, “he wasn’t an artist yet. He was at the march with his mother and realized something amazing was going on…Beyond that, the Ritual section includes a lot of work that deals with rituals within the African American community or rituals within the spaces he lived.”

But Stewart’s work goes beyond that. He traveled to New Orleans several times after Hurricane Katrina to document the destruction and the attempts to rebuild sections of the city that had been destroyed.

“Number 1” shows how Stewart used an unavoidable light behind Fidel Castro as part of the image composition.,

He’s traveled extensively and was even able to photograph Fidel Castro while in Cuba.

Stewart said he and other photographers and writers were taken to a room and told not to move from where they were sitting. Castro came in and gave a speech.

There was a light that was on in the background behind Castro. Stewarts wasn’t allowed to change locations and shoot from a different angle to avoid the light, so he made it part of the image’s  composition.

IN THE NEWS: Christina School Board puts Superintendent Shelton on leave

Stewart’s artistic journey has taken him to the streets and clubs to photograph artists, singers, musicians, and everyday people living their lives.

“With this exhibition, we have we have a chance to get a sense of the unlimited range and depth of a contemporary genius,” Moten said in a press release. “[His] combination of loving care for his subjects and thoughtful consideration of his medium is singular and invaluable.”

Photographer Frank Stewart, standing in front of his portrait of jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, talks to press members at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Photo by Rich Schwartzman.

For the first time in nine years, the Brandywine River Museum of Art has a photography exhibit on display.

“Frank Stewart’s Nexus: An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960s to the Present” runs through Sept. 22.

He began shooting photos at 14 when he and his mother attended the 1963 Martin Luther King March on Washington, D.C.

Now 75, Stewart said at a press preview that he wanted to be a painter, but photography became his primary art.

“My mother was a painter and I wanted to follow in her footsteps and make her proud of me,” he said. “I started painting and then I found out I was terrible.”

Stewart was impatient with painting, he said, because it took too long, but he could shoot 36 exposures in a short time.

“I could find out how many were terrible right away,” he said.

Stewart’s 1997 “Stomping the Blues” is gelatin silver print from the collection of Rob Gibson of Savannah, Georgia.

Amanda Burdan, the museum’s senior curator, said the Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, institution was interested in Stewart’s work partly because it had been nearly a decade since it offered a photography exhibit.

“We want to introduce it in a smart and thoughtful way,” she said.

The last photography exhibit at the Brandywine was James Welling’s “Things Beyond Resemblance” in August of 2015. It featured photos he took of sites painted by artist Andrew Wyeth, source of one of the museum’s core collections.

“One of the things that we are really attracted to in the larger body of Frank’s work is his social consciousness, his intelligent environmental issues,” Burdan said. “That inspired us to get to know his work more, but it’s really a retrospective of his entire career.”

Stewart’s exhibit

The exhibit — co-curated by Ruth Fine, formerly of the National Gallery of Art in D.C., and Fred Moten, a poet, scholar and professor of performance studies at the NYU Tisch School of Fine Arts, along with Burdan — is broken down into seven sections, with representing a theme.

“Smoke and the Lovers” taking in Memphis at Hawkins Grill in 1992 is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Rituals, Sound Taste Touch, Africa Caribbean New Orleans: Searching for Roots, Artist Portraits Windows Drawings, Social Practice, Cultures in Color, and Chromatic Music. In all, those themes reflect Stewart’s exploration of life and artistic style.

Fine said the Ritual section of the exhibit starts with him taking pictures of the march and reflects his search for his background.

“When he did those,” she said, “he wasn’t an artist yet. He was at the march with his mother and realized something amazing was going on…Beyond that, the Ritual section includes a lot of work that deals with rituals within the African American community or rituals within the spaces he lived.”

But Stewart’s work goes beyond that. He traveled to New Orleans several times after Hurricane Katrina to document the destruction and the attempts to rebuild sections of the city that had been destroyed.

“Number 1” shows how Stewart used an unavoidable light behind Fidel Castro as part of the image composition.,

He’s traveled extensively and was even able to photograph Fidel Castro while in Cuba.

Stewart said he and other photographers and writers were taken to a room and told not to move from where they were sitting. Castro came in and gave a speech.

There was a light that was on in the background behind Castro. Stewarts wasn’t allowed to change locations and shoot from a different angle to avoid the light, so he made it part of the image’s  composition.

IN THE NEWS: Christina School Board puts Superintendent Shelton on leave

Stewart’s artistic journey has taken him to the streets and clubs to photograph artists, singers, musicians, and everyday people living their lives.

“With this exhibition, we have we have a chance to get a sense of the unlimited range and depth of a contemporary genius,” Moten said in a press release. “[His] combination of loving care for his subjects and thoughtful consideration of his medium is singular and invaluable.”

Corporate Headshot Photographer

Corporate Photographer

Headshot Photographer

Christian Purdie Photography, a veteran in corporate photography based in Las Vegas, now offers on-site headshot services for offices and corporate events.

LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, July 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Las Vegas Corporate Photographer Introduces On-Site Corporate Headshots

Las Vegas corporate photographer Christian Purdie is pleased to announce the launch of on-site corporate headshot services at Las Vegas Conventions, catering to businesses and professionals visiting the Las Vegas area.

With the increasing demand for professional and polished corporate headshots, Christian Purdie Photography is now bringing its expertise directly to offices and corporate events. This new service aims to provide convenience and efficiency for busy professionals who require high-quality headshots without the inconvenience of traveling to a studio. Their on-site headshot mobile studios allow companies with staff or employees who work in different states to have a unified branding look to their headshots by bringing studio equipment to Las Vegas convention floors.

“Our goal is to make it as convenient as possible for professionals to obtain exceptional headshots that reflect their personal brand and corporate image,” said Christian Purdie. “By offering on-site services, we eliminate the time and logistical challenges associated with visiting a studio, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience for our clients.”

Christian Purdie Photography specializes in creating impactful headshots that enhance professional profiles and corporate branding. Whether for individual executives, entire teams, or corporate events, their photographers have the expertise and equipment necessary to capture the perfect shot in any setting.

The on-site service includes professional lighting setup, backdrop options, and expert guidance to ensure each client achieves their desired look as well as scheduling to accommodate the busy schedules of corporate clients. Upgraded services include assistants, tethered shooting to view images instantly, and individual gallery creation.

For more information about on-site corporate headshots or to schedule a session, visit www.christianpurdie.com or contact info@christianpurdie.com.

About Christian Purdie Photography: Working as a corporate photographer in Las Vegas for over two decades is a leading provider of corporate photography services, specializing in professional headshots, team photos, and event coverage. With a commitment to quality and client satisfaction, they have earned a reputation for delivering exceptional results tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses and professionals.

Christian Purdie
Christian Purdie Photography
+ +1 702-530-4384
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Radical self-acceptance and body liberation sound like lofty goals, but for Vancouver, Canada-based photographer Michele Mateus, these ideals are grounded in basic, earthy practices. For Mateus, embodied boudoir photography is all about creating a truly safe space, where her clients feel seen and respected while they experience being grounded in the power and grace of their bodies.

Mateus is an artist with a background in social justice and feminist theory. Her approach to celebrating her clients, facilitating the embodied boudoir photography experiences they desire, and helping them walk away with images they love translates into an average sale of $3k. She does this all in her 300ft² home studio, and she only accepts four clients a month.

[Read: The Boudoir Photography Empowerment Movement]

Here are her practical tips for creating a safe space for embodied boudoir photography:

1. Begin with a discovery call. Mateus interviews her potential clients as much as they interview her. If they are a good fit, she books them in right away
2. Offer an optional trauma-informed questionnaire. Hers includes asking how they want to feel in their session, what their pronouns are, if they have triggers or sensitivities to light and noise, and anything they want to make her aware of. This helps clients feel that she truly cares about creating safe space for them.
3. Strong communication. Mateus sends more than 38 emails from first contact through one year after their shoot.
4. Newsletter-based marketing. Mateus’ only online ads are for newsletter sign ups. Her weekly messages offer tips and techniques from embodiment coaching. She calls this approach a “slow-burning candle.” Her emails have a 65% open rate compared to the average of 25%.

You can learn more about Michele Mateus and her photo business by listening to her recent appearance on The Portrait System Podcast and by checking out a bonus Q&A with her below. Also, don’t forget to follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

[Read: Empowerment Photography with Boudoir Confidence]

What has been your biggest breakthrough in business? 

Learning how to run an actual business — leaving shoot and burn, learning IPS (in person sales), making peace with numbers!  

Most artists have a point in their life when they knew this was meant for them. Did you have that moment? 

Yes! I knew I was meant for this the first time a client cried when she saw her photos. That is beyond powerful and reminds you that what we do is so important and can transform lives.  

How did you push past fear when building your business? 

A lot of Ben and Jerry’s! …For real though, surrounding myself with people who were doing the damn thing! I joined the Sue Bryce community around six years ago, and it was a game changer for me to see people making sustainable livings out of creating art. I’ve worked in the arts, and the starving artist mentality is a real thing. I had to shake that off and own that I have a lot of value to offer people beyond photos.  
 

Making a connection with your subject is one of the most important parts of a great portrait. How do you make lasting connections with your clients? 

I truly see them for who they are by offering them a safe space to fully embody themselves in a way that feels comfortable to them. I don’t put them through a system of poses or see them as my next sale. I seem them as humans with important stories to tell.  

For someone starting out on their photography journey what advice would you have for them? 

Get a business coach — period! It may seem like a big expense, but it will save you A LOT of time and money in the long run to get set up the right away!  
 

Do you regret any decisions you have made in your business? 

No. Everything I have done has led to who I am now and keeps me wanting to learn and grow more. Sitting in regret holds your energy down, and that is not worth it for anyone.  
 

Everyone has a favorite shoot – tell us about yours and why it’s your favorite. 

This is so hard! I have to say when I shot my aunty who was 80 at the time. She asked for one of my ‘spicy’ photoshoots, and it was so much joy for us both! After being a widow for 40 years, she met the love of her life at 80, and the shoot was inspired by that. She had a hard life, and you could often seen that in her face, but for this shoot, she came alive like I have never seen in her before. It was beyond special! 

What fellow artists in the industry do you gain the most inspiration from? 

I have taken a lot of inspiration from the legends, of course. Herb Ritts is one of my favs!

The first name that pops out to me from The Portrait System community is Felicia Reed. I have never met her, but I adore her energy and can see that she really connects deeply to her clients. She and I spoke I think once or twice on call, and she really does care about the success of others. I can’t wait to give her a hug one day!

I also have learned a lot from Kara Marie. I appreciate everything she has shared with this community and how she truly brought forward that ‘boudoir’ can mean so much more than what it is often depicted as. As someone who has always loved black and white photography (We had a darkroom in my home when I was growing up!) and a big film buff, I never quite knew how to translate that all to my business. When I saw her speak at The Portrait Masters I believe in 2018 or 2019 (I watched it online), I was jumping out of my chair cheering “F YES, YES, YES!” That talk is what solidified for me that I could create portraits of women in my way.  

How has The Portrait System changed your life for the better?  

When I first found it around six years ago, I was in shoot-and-burn-out mode! The talks Sue Bryce did were the biggest thing for me. I felt like she was punching me in the stomach while also hugging me at the same time. I needed to hear what she said. I needed to see that there was another way to price and run a sustainable business. It helped me immensely, and I am grateful for the lessons I have received through this system.  
 

Where do you see your business in the next five years?   

Coaching, creating, and relaxing more and more! I recently took on learning embodiment coaching, which is pretty amazing. I am working that into the coaching and mentoring I offer photographers. I truly believe that the deeper the connection we have with ourselves, the deeper our work can be, and the less stress we will have when it comes to our business and our lives, and the more pleasure we can enjoy! Isn’t that what life is about anyway? 

By Stephen K. Peeples 
For The Signal 

After nearly 20 years as The Signal’s award-winning chief photojournalist and photo editor, Dan Watson officially retired on Saturday, June 15, and the Santa Clarita City Council marked the milestone with a special proclamation at City Hall on Tuesday night. 

Watson served three tours at The Signal: 1998-2003, 2009-2017, and 2018-2024. That’s more than 19 years behind the lens documenting and illustrating life in the Santa Clarita Valley for the venerable newspaper of record. 

Now, for the first time Watson can remember, there’s no more Pavlovian urge to leap into action every time he hears the wail of a first responder’s siren.  

“Ah, isn’t that great? I don’t have to run to that,” he said gleefully at the end of June. “I feel like a cloud has been lifted off me. I don’t even want to pick up a camera for a while.” 

For someone who’s been handling cameras since he could crawl, that’s remarkable.  

Fourth-Generation Photojournalist 
 
Watson, 67, grew up in the media business in Burbank and Los Angeles. A longtime Castaic resident, he represents the fourth – and last – generation of actors, photographers, photojournalists, and newsreel-TV cameramen renowned since the 1930s as “The First Family of Hollywood,” as documented by his uncle Delmar’s now-rare 1975 book “Quick, Watson, The Camera.” 

Dan and his aunt Antoinette were the last keepers of the massive Watson Family Photographic Archive, which aggregated the millions of still photos and miles of newsreel footage shot by Dan’s great-grandfather James, grandfather Coy, great-uncle George, five uncles, and his father Garry, documenting life in Los Angeles and other major historical events from 1888 through the 20^th century. 

Dan Watson learned what (and what not) to do as a professional photographer from his family and classes at Luther Burbank Junior High School and John Burroughs High School, where he was the school’s most-published photographer, and the Burbank Daily Review published some of his work in a special section. 

Watson’s photographic career was off and running just out of high school in 1976 when he landed a gig as the track photographer at Hollywood Park. The following year, he started his community news career as a staff photographer for the Valley News and Green Sheet. 

Between 1980 and 1983, he shot for the Burbank Leader/Glendale News-Press, the Santa Anita racetrack, and CBS Photo before a brief stint as a track photographer in Minnesota. 

In 1984 Watson began an 18-year run freelancing for ABC-TV. From 1994 to 1996 he also served as the staff photographer for the Natural History Museum at Exposition Park. 

“I took the Signal job in 1998 because I always liked small community news and wanted to learn computers,” Watson said in a 2019 interview. “The daily (photo) shooting – I like finding the features around the valley, meeting interesting people, the veterans, the older people, and the daily sports. I like to shoot all that stuff.” 

On assignment for The Signal, Watson always eschewed the public eye, preferring to discreetly document whatever he was covering without insinuating himself into the story.  

Watson has also disdained professional attention and accolades with authentic humility. Though he has won numerous photography awards over the past five decades, he has no idea how many. “I never kept track,” he said. 

Between his Signal stints, Watson worked for the Los Angeles Times (Community News, Glendale) and freelanced extensively for the Los Angeles Daily News, along with co-managing and eventually re-homing the Watson Family Photographic Archive. 

The Signal: Third Time’s a Charm 

But Dan Watson always returned to The Signal, as he did six years ago this summer as a staff photographer. 

“I was grateful to be hired back by Richard Budman when he bought the paper in 2018,” said Watson, who’d been laid off by The Signal’s previous owner in a downsizing the year before.  

“Many photographers I worked with over the years were laid off and had to tend bar or do other jobs, probably for more money,” he said. “But I have been very fortunate to have always been a photographer, the only thing I was good at.” 

“Photography is in Dan’s blood,” Budman said. “You can teach somebody the mechanics, but you can’t teach them to have an eye. Dan has that skill. But what makes him a great photographer is how he interacts with people to get a great shot. Dan is like an actor. Around the office, he’s a normal great guy, but when he goes out to a shoot, he comes alive. He’ll joke with people, spend time with kids. Just the way he can get people to relax is amazing.” 

“If you talk to anyone in the community, they’ll tell you what a good guy Dan is, but also how he is just a consummate professional,” said Tim Whyte, The Signal’s managing editor when the paper hired Watson the first time. Whyte also rejoined The Signal after Budman purchased it in mid-2018 and is now editor-in-chief. 

“For me as an editor, Dan’s automatic,” Whyte said. “If I see on a photo assignment that he shot the art, I know I’m going to have really good art. That’s not only skill, but also talent. We were blessed to have Dan here for as many years as we did.” 

Why Retire Now? 

Two things prompted Watson to call it a career now: his wife Candy’s recent retirement and the deaths of two close friends, also photographers. 

“They died in the last few months,” Watson said. “It was always, ‘We’re going to have lunch next week? Oh, I’ve got to work.’ So that just really hit me. 

“And my poor wife has put up with this for almost 43 years now (they married on Nov. 14, 1981). That takes a certain kind of person. I didn’t do much of the late-night stuff recently, but my whole career, when we were in a bowling league, I’d always get there late. Or I couldn’t show up at all because there was a murder or a fire. Our life has been that way and she’s always been there, always been very supportive and patient.” 

Watson said Candy worked in banking for many years. “She worked her way up from a teller to mortgage to reverse mortgage and retired a couple of years ago. I couldn’t have done this job without her financial assistance and moral support all these years.” 

Now, Watson’s only assignment is to catch up with his wife and their two grown daughters (Jennie and Missy, both professionals but in other “non-pro” fields) and spend more time with his father and primary photographic mentor, Garry Watson, now 96, who lives nearby. 

In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, video content has undeniably surged in popularity, reshaping how we consume information and entertainment from the internet. According to a report from Q2 2023, video content already reaches 92.3% of internet users worldwide and continues to grow significantly. This statistic highlights the growing dominance of video in our digital age. But does this trend mean that video is inherently better than photography? Let’s explore the differences between these two mediums and their impact on viewers.

Inherent Difference Between Photography and Videography

Photography generally leaves more room for the viewer’s interpretation and imagination by providing a single static visual stimulant. In contrast, video feeds all the stimulants, from motion visuals to audio layering and text, providing a multi-sensory experience. Therefore, photography allows each viewer to connect with it based on their unique experiences and emotions, while video delivers a more immersive and context-rich experience.

For example, based on the headline image above, the surroundings are up for the viewer’s interpretation. It may be seen as being shot in the jungle, a park, or among potted plants, making photography a versatile and flexible medium. In contrast, if the scene above was shot in a video, the context would be delivered through the combination of motion pictures and ambient sound, guiding the viewer to determine where it was shot. Hence, the video leaves less room for personal imagination. Fact: the image was shot from a potted plant in an alleyway.

Despite the inherent differences, the rise of social media has fueled the proliferation of video content. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have become dominant spaces for video sharing, driving the demand for short, engaging clips. This shift is evident in marketing strategies, where businesses increasingly use video to capture attention and convey messages quickly and effectively.

Photography Versus Videography: Which Is Better?

Photography captures and preserves individual moments, offering flexibility and personal interpretation that allows viewers to connect with images on a deeper level. Its portability and timeless appeal make it a versatile medium for storytelling. Videography provides a rich, immersive experience by combining visuals, sound, and motion, which can convey complex narratives and emotions more effectively. This multi-sensory approach engages viewers deeply and is particularly effective for dynamic content.

While video continues to grow in popularity and offers a rich, multi-sensory experience, photography remains a powerful and flexible medium that allows for personal interpretation. Each medium offers its unique advantages and engages audiences in different ways, often complementing each other in the media landscape. It is challenging to declare one as definitively better. Therefore, deciding which medium is better ultimately depends on the context and purpose of the content. As we look into the future, the question remains: Will the immersive nature of video overshadow the imaginative potential of photography, or will both continue to coexist, each serving its unique purpose? So, which do you think holds the edge for your storytelling needs?