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EXETER — The Seacoast Artist Association awarded Best in Show for the April Theme “Pure Poetry” to David Blomquist of Brentwood for his Digitally Manipulated Photograph and original poem titled “Lifetime.”

“I recently heard that a special friend in my life had passed,” says Blomquist.

“The news brought both shock and a host of other feelings because I had always assumed that I would see my friend again, but that would now never be.”

This realization made Blomquist pause to question the time we have, in essence to question one’s lifetime.

“The poem came first, and I wrote it as if I was having a conversation and questioning the entity, Lifetime,” he said.

The artwork came second, and it’s a compilation of three photographs taken over time in three different locations.

The People Choice Award, voted on by attendees of the SAA monthly Second Friday receptions, went to Peter Gumaskas of Goffstown for his photograph “Vermont Barn,” shown with Susan Cook’s poem “Winter Barn.”

“Susan, the poet, and I were together when we saw the barn in Vermont and were both very inspired by the scene,” says Peter.

“We were returning from a long weekend getaway, and it was a special weekend for us. She was inspired to write the poem after seeing the print of the barn. At that time, I was also heavily into Andrew Wyeth and was feeling very influenced by his work.”

Visit the gallery before April 27 to read these poems and see the rest of the show, along with new artwork.

The Seacoast Artist Association gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

Next month’s themes are “Primavera: the Art of Spring” at the Town Hall; and “In Full Bloom” at the Water Street gallery.

Details at www.seacoastartist.org, on Facebook and on Instagram.

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Impressionistic photography challenges traditional approaches by emphasizing mood and atmosphere over sharp, detailed imagery. This style captures fleeting moments of light and color, offering a painterly quality that stands out in the digital age. 

Coming to you from Peter Forsgård, this insightful video sheds light on the principles of impressionistic photography, particularly through street photography. Forsgård explores how this technique diverges from conventional sharpness, advocating for a focus on light, shadow, and color dynamics. He emphasizes the emotional impact of photography, urging you to look beyond mere aesthetics to capture deeper, more resonant images. This approach is not just about technical skills; it’s about how you see and interpret the world through your lens.

Forsgård provides practical tips for adopting this style, such as utilizing motion blur and selective focus to enhance the impressionistic effect. He discusses the importance of understanding light’s interaction with the environment. By suggesting techniques like multiple exposures and the use of mist filters, Forsgård encourages you to experiment and discover new ways to express visual stories. If you find yourself feeling a bit stuck creatively, this is a great way to expand your approach.

Check out the video above for the full rundown from Forsgård.

When I think of macro photography, I think 100mm lenses on upside-down cameras on a splayed-leg tripod. What I don’t think of is a 24mm pancake lens. But when I recently met emerging photographer Emma Wilson, my understanding of what can be achieved in 24mm lens macro photography was turned on its head.

Macro is photography where the subject is smaller in real life than in the resulting image. It’s often highly magnified, capturing the small world in beautiful crisp detail. Lenses uses for macro photography are usually longer focal lengths like 100mm because it allows you to zoom in on those tiny details. A classic macro lens features a tiny minimum focusing distance, too, so that you can put that lens right up in a bug’s face and see the quiver of its mandibles.

Can you do macro photography with a 24mm lens?

Emma Wilson, however, is using a Canon 24mm pancake lens for her macro photography and the results are stunning. This lens is commonly used for travel photography or landscapes because of its tiny size: it’s the smallest, flattest, most-pancakey lens in the Canon range. It’s also very affordable and makes a great addition to your starting kit for your crop sensor camera.

Emma is a photographer from Glasshouse Mountains in Queensland, Australia. I interviewed her to learn more about what drew her to macro with this unusual lens and about her process. Let’s dive in!

How did you get into photography? Emma shares her experience

I started taking photos in the early 2010’s of make-up I was doing at the time. However, I only truly got into photography last year when my husband bought me my Canon EOS 850D DSLR for our first anniversary. I had spent our entire honeymoon taking photos of everything with my phone, so he knew I would love it.

I love the natural beauty around me and being able capture it in an image to share with others has drawn me to photography.

I have been majority self-taught. When we bought my camera the camera salesman at JB hi-fi, who is a photographer, gave me a quick run through of the basics to get me started. I have photographer friends I can ask questions of as well. It has been a lot of experimenting.

What gear do you use for your macro photography?

My camera is a Canon EOS 850D DSLR, and my go-to lens is my Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens, which I use for all my macro shooting. I have a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens that came in a kit with my camera body. I use that for all my day to day shooting and if I am taking photos at an event. For landscape shooting I have a Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens.

Currently, my only accessory for shooting is a three-way swivel tripod. I use it all the time for shooting macro. It helps stabilize my camera to minimize motion blur. I don’t yet have an off-camera flash and keep the stutter speed low for the additional light.

What drew you to using a 24mm lens for macro photography?

As I am still finding my feet in the photography world, the price point played a big roll in my choice of the 24mm pancake lens for my macro shooting. The resulting images I get from this lens makes me appreciate the decision I made.

I am open to purchasing a 100mm macro lens in the future, though I believe I will continue using my 24mm lens as well because I love the depth of photo it creates.

The 24mm pancake lens is a versatile lens for a lot of different subjects, and seeing the macro images you get from it shows even more of its flexibility. What else have you tried shooting with the 24mm pancake lens?

This is going to sound very boring, but I have not used my 24mm for photos besides macro at this stage. I am interested in trying it out for other shooting in the future. I do think the concept of using such a compact lens for so many things is great and if it takes good images for other shooting it would great to take on the fly.

I agree, having such a handy lens in the kit is a massive help when you’re travelling or doing long shoots. What other lenses have you got in your kit and what have you used them for so far?

My other lenses include the kit lens that came with my camera body and a wide-angle lens. I use my kit lens when I am taking photos at events and when out and about. This lens is really good for photographing subjects within 10 meters, however for anything further away it tends to have its limitations.

I have gotten some nice photos of water dragons at the zoo, but it’s hard to get quality shots of the zoo animals themselves.

My wide-angle lens is a EF-S 10-18mm IS STM lens. I use it mostly for landscape and sunset shooting. I find the picture it captures really great. Living in the Glasshouse Mountains, I love when I get time to take some sunset shots of the mountains and this lens captures them well.

I have done some experimenting with it at a family event and found that it captures a wonderful image of the entire room as well.

Emma’s photographs show the true versatility of the 24mm lens

If you would like to see more of Emma’s photography, check out her Instagram page. And why not take out a different lens from your usual today and try capturing something unusual?

Emma is a budding photographer with a keen interest in macro photography. She loves getting out in her in nature to find all manner of critters to photograph.

EVERETT — Elisa Fares had never picked up a camera before taking a photography class at Glacier Peak High School.

Much to her surprise, and delight, the French exchange student was the grand prize winner in the 29th Annual Black and White Photography Contest and Student Exhibition at the Schack Art Center.

“I didn’t think I would win anything,” she said at a reception Thursday at the center. “Photography was not my thing at all.”

High school students from Snohomish County submitted about 170 entries for the contest. Photos were judged for composition, creativity and presentation.

In addition to top prizes, which included gift cards from Brooklyn Bros. Pizzeria, numerous honorable mention certificates were awarded. The exhibit is in the center’s Emerging Young Artists Gallery through May 5. Admission to the Schack is free.

Elisa’s photo, “Flesh,” is of her best friend’s neck and collarbone.

The Schack Art Center’s Black and White Photography Contest Grand Prize winner, “Flesh” by Elisa Fares, Glacier Peak High School.

“I took it in five seconds before the bell rang,” she said.

She then spent two hours editing the image.

“Flesh” has attracted international viewers.

“My mom already printed it and put it in my living room in France,” Elisa said.

Monochrome photos, and the use of cameras instead of cell phones, might seem old school these days.

“Black and white photography goes back to the fundamentals of what photography has always been,” said Nicole Dibble, Schack education coordinator. “It’s a great way for students to take color out of the equation and focus on lines and form and get a lot of value in their pieces.”

Snohomish High School photography teacher Jay Adams said students like it.

“It tells a story without distractions,” he said. The images “are more dramatic.”

About 60 of his students entered photos.

“I do really like the contrast,” said senior Athen Hoyt.

Athen earned first place in the upper age division for “Anger Breeds Contempt,” of an arm and partial body of a figure standing near the Snohomish River. Athen mainly does illustrations and plans to go to art school in the fall.

The Schack Art Center’s Black and White Photography Contest first place winner in the 11th and 12th grade division, “Anger Breeds Contempt” by Athen Hoyt, Snohomish High School.

Jamie Bazile, another Snohomish High senior, photographed a chess board and photoshopped himself into it.

His photo, titled “Pawn,” took third place in his age group.

“It was a chess set missing a bunch of pieces,” he said. “The photo has gone a lot further than I expected it to go, but it’s a cool photo, I think.”

“Pawn” by Jamie Bazile, Snohomish High School, won third place in the 11th and 12th grade age group in the Black and White Photography Contest at Schack Art Center.

His usual art medium is drawing. The photo was homework.

“I submitted it just so I could get an assignment done,” he said.

His mom, Amy Bazile, was among the proud parents at Thursday’s reception.

“It has been fun to see his art develop and progress from the tiny little doodles he used to do on his homework in grade school,” she said. “This will go in Dad’s office at home.”

Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.

And the winners are:

Grand Prize

Elisa Fares, Glacier Peak High School, “Flesh”

11th and 12th Grades

First Place: Athen Hoyt, Snohomish High School, “Anger Breeds Contempt”

Second: Megan White, Sky Valley Education Center, “Continuance”

Third: Jamie Bazile, Snohomish, “Pawn”

9th and 10th Grades, all from Glacier Peak

First Place: Ananya Raichura, “Frozen Moments”

Second: Sofia Carmona, “Visionary”

Third: Emma Chmil, “In the Cave”

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Enhancing your life through landscape photography is not just about capturing breathtaking images; it’s also an avenue for personal growth and mental health improvement. Understanding these benefits can profoundly affect your approach to this art form.

Coming to you from Ian Worth, this thoughtful video explores the profound impact that landscape photography can have on one’s well-being. Worth shares his personal journey, discussing how engaging with nature through photography has not only been a source of physical exercise but also a therapeutic activity. For Worth, the act of hiking through landscapes and composing shots has become a meditative practice that helps clear his mind and relieve stress.

Moreover, Worth emphasizes the social aspects of landscape photography. Throughout the video, he recounts the connections he has made with fellow photography enthusiasts, highlighting how shared passions can forge strong friendships and enrich one’s social life. These elements—physical activity, mental health, and community building—are what Worth argues make landscape photography particularly rewarding.

It’s clear that the benefits of landscape photography extend well beyond the technical skills of capturing a great photo. For many, including Worth, it offers a unique form of exercise that is both enjoyable and motivating. Photography prompts you to venture outdoors, explore new environments, and engage in physical activity, all of which are beneficial. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Worth.

When location scouting for this shoot, Kamzy Nuel was primarily hunting for colour. He settled on the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. “There are so many vibrant colours around, giving room to have as much as possible in the frame to work with,” the Nigerian photographer says.

Hoping to “portray a fine blend of modernism and culture” in the styling, Nuel chose the red and yellow outfit for his muse, Kommie, a professional model. This was the pair’s first time working together; they have since become friends. “She’s a great person,” Nuel says, “and she loved the departure from traditional portraiture.”

When editing the image, Nuel ensured the background colours were well saturated. He also adjusted individual hues to match the intended colour palette.

“I’d love people to appreciate how every element in the frame, from the location to the styling to Kommie’s bold pose, come together to make such a visually appealing image,” Nuel says. “And to see the art and versatility of smartphone photography. It’s not competing with digital; it’s on its own path and a legitimate art form. This image is beautiful.”

Shannon Collins, a “queer, awkward, anxious photographer,” wants to change the way disabled people are viewed, one picture at a time.