By Christina Mehr

Immediately when you walk into the art exhibit, you are taken into the life and work of Lora Webb Nichols. Located in the Reese Bullen Gallery at Cal Poly Humboldt, Nichols’ black and white photography is displayed for all to see. Her work covers candid portrait shots of those around her.
The massive archive of prints has been preserved through the volunteer efforts of Nancy Anderson, Victor Anderson, and Nicole Jean Hill.

Hill is a Professor of Art at Cal Poly Humboldt and the chair of the department of art and film. Her area of expertise is in photography and she teaches photography classes and professional practices in art. Hill is also the co-curator of the Lora Webb Nichols collections. 

“When I first dove into the archive, I didn’t know what was [there] because it wasn’t actually viewable yet,” Hill said. “Only a very small portion of it was accessible to the public. It was kind of a leap of faith, but I was intrigued by the fact that it was an archive made by a female photographer who got a camera at the age of 16 in 1899 and saved 24,000 negatives.”

Over the course of some time, Hill has worked on digitizing the photographs, organizing the corresponding text, recovering the photographer’s diaries and letters, and collaborating with the Grand Encampment Museum and the American Heritage Center to secure a permanent home for the negatives.

Lora Webb Nichols was a photographer, businesswoman and homemaker living on the Wyoming frontier in the 20th century. She got her first camera at the young age of 16 and over the course of her lifetime, she produced a grand number of 24,000 negatives. The images she captured are about the domestic, social, and economic aspects of the frontier of south-central Wyoming. 

“When you’re 16 years old and you get a camera, you’re unfiltered, and I was excited to see what that would be like,” Hill said. “Then, once I was actually physically able to see what was in the archive, it was even more exciting than I could have imagined in terms of the variety of subject matter and Lora’s skill as the photographer.”

The most eye-catching work of the exhibit were the two cork boards with many printed images pinned across them both. On a pedestal below sat a book filled with many more photographs.

More of Nichols’ photographs and writing can be found online through the American Heritage Center or in person at the Grand Encampment Museum. 

“I love that this art exhibit has brought people to campus that otherwise would not come to see an art exhibit,” Hill said. “It has a multigenerational attraction to it.”

Imagine a world where the crack of a bat against a baseball is replaced with the soft click of a shutter, where the roaring crowds of a stadium give way to the silent expanse of the African savannah. This is the world that Randy Johnson, once a towering figure on the pitcher’s mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks, now inhabits with a camera in hand. On a crisp Friday evening in Scottsdale, a side of Johnson that many have never seen will be unveiled at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Pitcher Behind the Camera

Johnson’s journey from fastball fame to photographic fervor began in the early 1980s, during his college days at USC. A baseball scholarship might have paid his way, but it was his tenure at the college newspaper that sowed the seeds of a lifelong passion for photography. Initially focusing on film photography, Johnson captured moments that transcended the boundaries of his baseball career. However, as his prowess on the mound grew, his photographic pursuits were momentarily shelved.

Retirement from professional baseball allowed Johnson to revisit his dormant passion. He traded his baseball glove for a camera, dedicating himself to mastering the art of photography with the same zeal he had for baseball. His work, particularly from his travels to Africa, showcases not just his talent but also a profound appreciation for the continent’s vast landscapes and diverse cultures. Johnson’s perspective, honed on the baseball field, brings a unique clarity and focus to his photographs, capturing fleeting moments with precision and grace.

A Window to Africa

Johnson’s exhibit, which opens to the public on February 23rd, offers an intimate glimpse into his numerous journeys across Africa. Having visited the continent around five or six times, he aims to share not just images but stories of the people, wildlife, and landscapes he’s encountered. His photographs serve as a bridge, connecting viewers to the far-off places and faces that have touched him deeply. The exhibition is a testament to Johnson’s commitment to exploring and understanding the world beyond the pitcher’s mound, highlighting the raw beauty and complexity of African cultures and ecosystems.

The anticipation for the exhibit has been palpable, with fans of Johnson’s baseball career and photography enthusiasts alike eager to witness this new chapter of his life. Admission to the exhibit is free, though reservations are required, offering an accessible opportunity for the community to engage with Johnson’s work.

More Than a Game

Johnson’s transition from celebrated athlete to passionate photographer challenges the often one-dimensional perceptions of professional athletes. His work underscores the message that there is life beyond the game, filled with untapped potential and new avenues for expression. The exhibit not only showcases Johnson’s versatility and skill as a photographer but also offers a unique perspective on a continent teeming with stories waiting to be told.

As visitors wander through the gallery, taking in the stunning vistas and intimate portraits that Johnson has captured, they are invited to see the world through his lens. It’s a world where the boundaries between sports and art blur, where a fastball pitcher becomes a storyteller, and where every photograph is a home run.

Imagine a world where the hiss of noise in your night sky photography or the grain in your wildlife shots simply vanishes, leaving behind nothing but crisp, clear images. This isn’t a distant dream anymore; it’s the reality brought to life by ON1 with the launch of ON1 NoNoise AI 2024. Promising not just an incremental improvement but a leap in image editing technology, this software is poised to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in photo editing.

The Heart of Innovation: AI-Driven Noise Reduction

At its core, ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 employs machine learning to intelligently differentiate between noise and crucial details in images. This approach marks a significant departure from the traditional noise reduction techniques that often compromise image detail for clarity. The software’s ability to maintain the integrity of the image while eliminating unwanted noise is a game-changer, especially in genres like astrophotography and wildlife photography where detail is everything. With the introduction of AI-based RAW image demosaicing, ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 ensures that noise reduction is applied at the most foundational level, promising unparalleled results.

Empowering the Photographer: Enhanced Usability and Performance

ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 isn’t just about superior noise reduction capabilities; it’s also about putting the power back into the hands of the photographer. The redesigned user interface is a testament to this, offering a sleek, modern look coupled with an intuitive user experience. Whether you’re a seasoned photo editor or someone just starting out, ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 provides you with powerful tools at your fingertips. Features like advanced layer editing and the new AI Deblurring Model for reducing motion blur are particularly noteworthy, offering creative possibilities that were previously hard to achieve. Performance enhancements, including faster processing and batch exporting, further streamline the editing workflow, making it more efficient than ever before.

A Look to the Future: Pricing and Availability

As ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 hits the market, it does so with an attractive proposition for early adopters. Currently available for preorder at a discounted price, the software also offers additional benefits for existing ON1 product owners and ON1 Everything subscribers. This strategic move not only makes the latest in noise reduction technology accessible to a broader audience but also reinforces ON1’s commitment to its user community. With support for numerous new camera models, ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 is not just a tool for today but a foundation for tomorrow’s photographic innovations.

With each iteration, ON1 continues to push the boundaries of what photo editing software can achieve. ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 stands as a beacon of progress in the digital photography landscape, promising to bring us one step closer to the ideal of perfect images. As we look ahead, the potential for further innovation in this space is boundless, and ON1 NoNoise AI 2024 is leading the charge.

Prestigious photography museum Fotografiska is now offering $10 admission to all visitors on the second Sunday of every month, so you can plan to visit the museum on March 10, April 14, May 12, or June 9 if you want to get the deep discount.

The price of admission, which is usually $31, includes access to the curated shop in the building’s lobby, access to The Café, which offers artisanal pastries and coffee, and of course, the museum’s world-class photography exhibits. 

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Fotografiska has branches all across the world including in Stockholm, Berlin, and Shanghai and is known for displaying cutting-edge photography by contemporary artists. Their exhibits often have elements of social commentary, and one of their aims is to be an art space that generates conversations to drive change. 

Currently on display at Fotografiska is Human / Nature: Encountering Ourselves in the Natural World, which explores the relationship between people and nature as well as humans’ tendency towards destruction; Futuristic Ancestry: Warping Matter and Space-time(s), which highlights the work of French multimedia artist Josèfa Ntjam; and a retrospective of photographer Frank Ockenfels, who is known for his playful approach towards portraiture. 

Founded in 2010 in Stockholm, Fotografiska aims to inspire a more conscious world through the power of photography. The Museum produces a broad range of rotating exhibitions featuring the world’s greatest photographers — both world-renowned artists and rising stars. Genres include conceptual, landscape, portrait, documentary and more. Exhibitions change frequently so there’s always something new to experience.

To score the discounted select Sunday tickets, book here. It’s worth noting that the museum is open until 9pm on Sundays, so you’ve got plenty of time to visit. In addition, the museum also offers special discounts on Mondays-Fridays from 10:30am-12pm. Check the museum’s website for more details.

WKU Visual Journalism and Photography student Brett Phelps, a junior from Bardstown, has earned national recognition from the White House News Photographers Association®.

Phelps, the web visuals editor for the Talisman and a double major in Photography and Strategic Marketing, was named the WHNPA Student Video Photographer of the Year in the association’s annual ‘Eyes of History®’ visual journalism competition student contest judging.

When told about his win by Student Video Chair Bethany Swain, Phelps said, “I am truly honored to have my work celebrated by this prestigious organization and to join a group of individuals I consider heroes in this profession. To be awarded this distinction is immensely humbling, and it reinforces my passion for bringing compelling visual stories to light through the lens of my camera.”

Phelps also placed first in Sports, second in Vertical Social Video, Single, and honorable mention in Long Form Feature. Phelps’ entry included 48 Minutes; A New Road To Travel; Like Father, Like Son; and 48 Minutes Vertical Trailer.

The student contest winners will be honored at the annual ‘Eyes of History®’ gala on June 1 in Washington.

The White House News Photographers Association® is a 103-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the efforts of Washington’s professional visual journalists. The WHNPA aims to provide professional and educational outreach to its members and the community through scholarships, programming, an annual competition and a celebration of the industry at the annual ‘Eyes of History®’ gala.

Contact: Tim Broekema, (270) 745-3005