PHOTO PROVIDED
“Living Shadows” by Malakai Hamilton will be among the photos featured at the Clinton County Art Council’s juried photography show, opening tonight at 6 p.m. at the Station Gallery.

LOCK HAVEN — The Clinton County Arts Council’s juried photography show has become an event that many look forward to every year. It not only showcases the work of talented photographers in our area; it also provides an opportunity for visitors to Lock Haven’s Station Gallery to view our world in fresh and sometimes surprising ways.

The theme of this year’s photo show is “Only the Shadows Know.” It was up to our photographers to interpret that theme in whatever ways made sense to them. The 14 photographers whose images appear in the show had a broad array of responses: the image of a summer kitchen seen through a pane of broken glass, midnight landscapes, poignant portraits of the self, loved ones, and precious, indulgent animals. Some captured the abstract play of light and shadow, while others focused on the way shadows can transform and deepen more realistic landscapes. We invite you to think along with us about ways shadows can both hide and reveal, soften and startle.

The exhibit will officially begin with an opening reception at the Station Gallery on Friday, April 12, at 6 p.m.

This year photographer Mark Anderman of the Wild Studio will be judging the show. Mark graduated from Lycoming College, going on to become a staff photographer for the Williamsport Sun Gazette. He joined the Terry Wild Photography Studio full-time in 1976, eventually purchasing the business in 2002. He is currently owner and president of the commercial studio, working with small businesses, corporations and individuals, producing digital images as well as family and personal portraiture.

Mark will award the prizes for the show at 7 p.m. at tonight’s opening, after which he will talk about the decisions he made in his judging.

PHOTO PROVIDED
“In the Shadows of Trains” by Melissa Green will be among the photos featured at the Clinton County Art Council’s juried photography show, opening tonight at 6 p.m. at the Station Gallery.

A People’s Choice contest will follow, in which participants will vote for their favorite images. Ribbons for People’s Choice will be given out at the end of the night for those photos that receive the most votes.

This year’s show will be sponsored once again by Robert C. Gleghorn, President and Principal Agent of the Mountain Top Insurance Agency, Inc.

“We are extremely grateful for Mr. Gleghorn’s continuing support for our photo show,” said Steve Getz, board member and president of the Arts Council.

The exhibit is free of charge. The public is invited to attend the reception to see the show, have some refreshments, talk with the photographers and vote for the images they like best.

PHOTO PROVIDED
“Stepping into the Light” by Katie Wanner will be among the photos featured at the Clinton County Art Council’s juried photography show, opening tonight at 6 p.m. at the Station Gallery.

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Submitted photos
A winning photograph from a previous contest.

THOMAS — The Cortland Foundation is thrilled to announce the launch of its annual Photography Contest, inviting talented photographers from all backgrounds to showcase their creativity and vision. The submission window for entries opens on May 1.

The Photography Contest aims to celebrate the beauty of life and the resilience of the human spirit through captivating images. The theme chosen for this year’s competition is “Changes.”

Fourteen winners will be selected by our esteemed judge, Frank Ceravalo, a prominent West Virginia photographer based in Martinsburg. Selected photographs will be transformed into stunning 45 x 30-inch prints and prominently displayed in the Cortland Rehab wing for one year, offering inspiration and joy to residents, staff and visitors alike.

“After a challenging period, we believe in the power of art to uplift and inspire,” said Foundation Director Crystal Boone. “Through this Photography Contest, we hope to foster creativity, community, and connection, while also supporting the vital work of the Cortland Foundation.”

In addition to large-scale prints, a concentrated display area will be added to the Pendleton Lounge situated in the Blackwater Short-Term Rehab Center common area. The Gallery will include twenty-two feet of wall space and showcase different sizes and orientations to allow for even more local images and regional talent to be on display. There is no specified number of images to be selected and The Gallery will be curated by this year’s contest judge and the Cortland Foundation.

Frank Ceravalo

Following the one-year exhibition period, the prints will be offered for sale with all proceeds benefiting the Cortland Foundation’s mission to enhance the quality of life for residents and support essential programs and services.

Photographers interested in participating are invited to submit their images through the Cortland Acres website at http://blackwater.cortlandacres.org/. Submissions will be accepted through May 31.

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Thaddeus Holownia already considers himself a winner.

The retired Mount Allison University professor is one of three artists who have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

The Scotiabank Photography Award is an annual peer-nominated prize for lens-based art.

The other two nominees are from Montreal.

“It’s humbling and it’s pretty amazing to be amongst really amazing people,” said Holownia.

His exhibition, Of a feather: An Homage to Gay Hansen, is currently on display at the Owens Art Gallery on campus in Sackville, N.B.

The work is in memory of Hansen, a teacher, mentor and ornithologist who taught at Mount Allison for 39 years.

She was also Holownia’s life partner.

The pair worked and travelled together, the exhibit takes its title from a portfolio of nature-themed photographs the artist created after Hansen’s death in 2021.

“It’s based on looking and appreciating beauty and nature and the spirit that Gay lived in terms of teaching others to appreciate those simple things,” said Holownia.

The 75-year-old taught at Mount Allison for 41 years and won awards for teaching and creative achievement before retiring in 2018.

“Teaching is a great opportunity to broaden people’s horizons and love for a subject. And if you’re in love with that subject, I think it’s easy to transfer that to others by example,” said Holownia. “I was very fortunate that Mount A was very supportive of my teaching methods as well as my own professional art career.”

Holownia collaborated on the project with Karen Stentaford, one of his former students and a current assistant professor of photography at the university.

She had a close relationship with Hansen as well.

“It started out as a vision of Thaddeus’ as a dedication to Gay and I was really honoured to be brought on board for this exhibition,” said Stentaford. “I really started to think about my relationship with Gay and thinking about her relationship with the environment.”

Eight nominees for the award have been pared down to just three, an amazing accomplishment as far as Stentaford is concerned.

“Making it to the shortlist, it really shows the respect and recognition of his work and legacy,” she said.

While he would like to win, external rewards are not be the end all for Holownia.

“I’ve already won, but if I was to win it would be one more accreditation and learning experience to tell people that, you know you can live in Sackville, New Brunswick, and fly under the radar and have your dedication and hard work be recognized,” said Holownia.

The winner will receive $50,000, a solo exhibition at a photography festival next year and a published book of work that will get worldwide distribution.

Of a feather: An Homage to Gay Hansen, will be on display at Owens Art Gallery at Mount Allison until May 15.

The visual artist will also be launching a new book of photography and poetry with frequent collaborator Harry Thurston.

A book launch that will support the Gay Hansen Scholarship will take place on May 10 at the gallery.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.

Carmen Bridgewater wants Black mothers to know that birth can be beautiful. 

The Dallas-based birth photographer blends artistry, empowerment, and advocacy into her work, creating an experience that leaves Black mothers feeling valued and protected. Her journey into this remarkable field intertwines her passion for art with her dedication to empowering Black women during one of the most transformative moments of their lives.

Carmen’s path to birth photography wasn’t conventional. Armed with a degree in business administration with a focus in entrepreneurship and leadership, she initially treaded a different path as a project manager. However, her love for photography led her to explore various niches, from portraits to weddings, until she discovered that she and her husband were expecting their  first child. 

“Around the time that I gave birth to my daughter, Norah, I was looking at providers and soaking up all the knowledge and childbirth education,” Carmen says. “I learned that — like every other field — there’s really not many Black women in birth photography. I found that when Black women were being photographed, if they were to hire a birth photographer or they were being photographed themselves, it was often from the place of a survivor.”

“I wanted my own work to aim in the direction of not only dispelling fear, but showcasing the beauty of the birthing experience,” Carmen explains. “It doesn’t have to be just a story of survival. This could be a story of thriving.”

Transitioning from a corporate setting to the world of art wasn’t easy, but Carmen’s determination propelled her forward. Drawing from her business acumen and project management skills, she swiftly built her own successful photography business. “My focus shifted into what I actually love, which is art,” she explains, “and it grew really quickly.”

Carmen’s work isn’t just about the business of photography, however. It’s about changing people’s perspectives and helping others. Through her work, she sheds light on the disparities in maternal healthcare, particularly concerning Black women. While pregnant with Norah, Carmem says she learned all the frightening statistics about Black maternal health, including the Black maternal mortality rate. 

“I feel like the first thing we learn as Black women, when we get pregnant, is maternal mortality statistics,” Carmen says. “I started learning from a place of like, ‘I don’t want to be a statistic.’ I had this beautiful birthing experience, because I studied. I did my homework; I made sure that I had coping mechanisms and a support system, and a postpartum plan in place. Living through that has kind of helped me teach people that they can do the same.”

“You don’t have to base your birth plan in fear. It can be more placed in empowerment. I use my work to show that because, obviously, I can talk all day until I’m blue in the face, or I can write a think piece and people read it. But when I can show people…people say a picture is worth 1000 words, it really is.”

Carmen, who is pregnant with her second child, adds that Black maternal health statistics “don’t have much to do with our educational backgrounds or socio-economic status, but with implicit bias.” She encourages all Black mothers and birthing people to find “providers who respect your birth plan and believe in bodily autonomy.” She lists Dallas-based midwives Ashley Greene at Serenity Birth Center and Jennifer Mozeke at Trinity Birth Services as two of the many providers who practice this philosophy (see below for a full list of resources). 

Being a birth photographer means being on call 24/7, navigating the unpredictable nature of childbirth. Yet, for Carmen, the most rewarding aspect is the impact she makes. “The messages I get from complete strangers… who had no idea that birth could be beautiful,” she reflects, “that’s what changes minds.”

Carmen lists clients Josh Doctson and Haille Wimbish’s birthing experience as one of her favorites to photograph. She was there when the couple welcomed their second child, an experience Bridgewater says was peaceful from “the beginning of labor to the time the baby was in her arms.”

“That didn’t keep Josh from crying for [Haille],” Bridgewater says. “He wept silently to himself while holding her; SZA playing in the background. Her doula whispered to her, often eliciting some laughter and a smile from the laboring mom. Peace wasn’t just with Haille, it was hanging in the air. Draped around all of us. When the baby was born and dad announced the sex, a little girl, rejoice filled the room. It was an orchestra of weeping, screams of glee, and congratulations to the parents. This is the way birth was intended to be. Sacred, intimate, and fully supported.”

However, the journey isn’t without its challenges. Carmen shares the disappointment her clients feel when their birth plans don’t unfold as expected. Yet, through her photography, she helps them find solace and peace in their stories.

Inspired by the resilience of the Black diaspora, Carmen draws strength from the stories of her ancestors and the Black women who came before her. “I just love everything about us… our spirit, our will to live and thrive. The way we turn terrible situations into very happy experiences — even our rage. I just find beauty in every part of our being.”

“More specifically, my mom’s story and knowing what she’s come through,” Carmen adds. “My grandmother; she was a single mother to five kids. She was sometimes homeless, just beyond poverty, but how she had such a love for life and a spark about her. I’m inspired by our stories. And our stories are often erased, if they’re even documented in the first place. When we know where we’ve come from, it lets us know where we’re going. I want to preserve our stories and make sure they’re heard and inspire others.”

As our conversation draws to a close, Carmen leaves us with a powerful message: “Black women do not have to fear childbirth… It can be a beautiful experience. Take the time to learn, study, and freshen up on what this experience could be.”

Dallas-Based Maternal Resources:

Midwives:

Ashley Greene – Serenity Birth Center

Jennifer Mozeke – Trinity Birth Services 

Nikki Knowles – Dallas Birth 

Adrian Mills – The Spiritual Midwife

Teree Fruga – Mercy Midwifery

Birth Doulas:

Contessa Fowler – Nourishing Birth

Chanel Hogue – A Werking Mama

Christian Cade – Beyond Births

Eve Akins – Eve Birth Services 

Tequila Robinson – Mama 2 Mama 

Atiyya – A Brave Birth Doula

Lauren – Dox the Doula 

An-Taria – First Step Doula DFW  

Postpartum Doulas:

Diamond Jackson – Serene Postpartum Doula

Nayo Golden – Chef N Doula

Diamond D – Hands and Feet PCS

Cheryl Abrams – Babymoon Concierge

Black-Owned Birth Centers: 

Serenity Birth Center

Lovers Lane Birth Center

Birth and Wellness of Arlington

Black-Owned Easy Access Clinic: 

Abide Women’s Health Services

Williamstown high school sophomore Ava Hegge entered the third-place winning artwork in the Bluegrass, Brushstrokes, & Beyond: 2024 KY Statewide Student Art Show held at  Gateway Regional Arts Center.

Hegge’s photograph was entitled “Industrious Hands. 

The statewide show attracted 455 entries. The show is open to the public through May 10. Gateway Regional Arts Center is located at 101 East Main Street, Mt. Sterling, KY 40353.

Offering a look into Los Angeles through his eyes, photographer and director Estevan Oriol will talk about his journey as an artist and his photography during a visit next week to California State University, Northridge.

The discussion will take place on Tuesday, April 16 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Lake View Terrace Room of CSUN’s University Student Union, located on the east side of the campus off Zelzah Street. The lecture is free and open to the public, following the talk will be a brief question and answer session.

“I have known Estevan Oriol since 1998, and he is a frequent collaborator of mine,” said Chicana and Chicano studies professor Denise Sandoval, who teaches in the College of Humanities. “He has been a participant in six exhibitions that I curated, and his work was featured in the CSUN library exhibit, ‘The Politics of Low and Slow,’ that I curated last year. I thought it was time to bring him back, especially since I see his influence on social media through the aesthetics of black and white photos of L.A. and urban cultural spaces by the younger generation of photographers.”

Oriol, a L.A.-based photographer, has spent over 30 years capturing the city. His work has been showcased in select galleries and institutions, such as Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, Mesa Contemporary Art Center, Petersen Automotive Museum and The Museum of Contemporary Art. Estevan has documented lowrider culture and hip-hop culture since the 1990s, and has influenced the visual narratives of LA street culture within the United States and globally.

“I would like for Estevan to share his story as a community engaged artist, talk about his photos, his approach as a photographer in his photo and also speak to challenges he has faced as a man of color in the art world,” Sandoval said. “Oftentimes, the subject matter in his photos are marginalized by the dominant media since his subjects are found in the streets or spaces labeled ‘dangerous’, as such he highlights people that use the streets as their resource/cultural resistance..

“This event is grounded in the arts as a tool of not only documenting our stories, but also using the lens to challenge dominant notions of race, class and gender,” said Sandoval.

“Popular culture often perpetuates racism through stereotypes that especially play into the fear of Brown and Black men,” she continued. “Oriol has faced racism and stereotyping of his work as ‘dangerous and criminal’ since the subjects he chooses to capture are marginalized, especially his portraits of gang members, lowriders and hip hop artists. This lecture offers a way to use art and activism to resist and fight these erasures in dominant media that work to make us either invisible or a problem to society.”

The event is sponsored by the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, College of Humanities’ Academic Programming Fund, CSUN Equal Opportunities Program and the CSUN Council of Ethnic Studies.

For questions or accessibility and accommodation requests, please contact denise.sandoval@csun.edu by April 12.

Related

Landscape photography generally embraces extremes of focal length, but somewhere in between is a middle zone that can be tremendously challenging. 

Coming to you from Gavin Hardcastle fototripper, this compelling video not only shares his personal struggles with a 55mm prime lens but also encourages viewers to embrace the difficulties associated with this “Hell Zone.” The discussion centers around the idea that although this focal length can be infuriatingly challenging, leading to a high rate of perceived failure, it also offers the opportunity for exceptional growth and unique composition when mastered. Hardcastle’s candid admission of his own challenges and failures makes a strong case for pushing through discomfort to achieve artistic growth. This perspective is particularly important for photographers looking to move beyond the relative comfort and ease of wide angle or telephoto lenses, which tend to offer more straightforward compositional opportunities.

Moreover, the video illustrates how conquering the “Hell Zone” can lead to a more natural perspective in photographs, avoiding the distortion of wide angle lenses and the unnatural viewpoints of telephotos. This middle ground, though fraught with frustration and failure, can yield images that closely mirror human vision, creating a more relatable and immersive experience for the viewer. Hardcastle’s journey from frustration to occasional success with the 55mm lens serves as a metaphor for the broader process of artistic development, emphasizing that growth often comes from confronting and overcoming challenges. Check out the video above for the full rundown.

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!” 

Apple’s most inexpensive iPhone has been out for over two years now and still commands a place on our best cheap phones list, so that’s why there’s been a lot of interest around an iPhone SE 4. The latest leak makes the purported fourth generation iPhone SE more compelling with key upgrades, despite it being tipped for release in 2025.

On Twitter, a new leak surfaced purporting to be the specs of the iPhone SE 4. Leaker Nguyen Phi Hung reveals how the specs will be quite the upgrade over the current iPhone SE (2022). Considering how the mid-range space has been defined by newer phones like the Nothing Phone 2a, OnePlus 12R, and Pixel 7A, Apple can’t afford to fall behind the curve against key rivals.

Supposedly, the new iPhone SE 4 will feature an OLED screen that will vastly improve the look of the display. It’s mentioned to be a 6.1-inch LTPS OLED display with 60Hz refresh rate. While this bumps the size of the iPhone up slightly based on current specs, the 60Hz refresh rate is somewhat disappointing. Other phones in this budget price range have better refresh rates, like the Galaxy A35 and its 120Hz refresh rate.

The device is expected to have front and rear glass, eschewing the Ceramic Shield that Apple uses on other iPhones. For comparison, Hung says the front looks more like the iPhone 13 that has been previously rumored. Although, the rear of the iPhone SE 4 would look more like an iPhone XR because of the single camera. 

Speaking of the camera, it would support 1080p cinematic mode, which is rather interesting because of its single camera. The current iPhone SE (2022) can’t do this, but other iPhones do this by using the main and ultrawide cameras to discern people from backgrounds — resulting in the background becoming out of focus. We suspect it’ll lean into new techniques and AI-assistance for this, which is expected to be a huge part of iOS 18. Hung goes on to reveal that the iPhone SE 4 will feature smart HDR, AI photography and portrait mode, but it won’t support night mode for some reason.

Internally, the new SE 4 will use an upgraded A16 Bionic chipset with a Snapdragon X70 modem. The processing power should be a big boost for the phone, but it also helps that the RAM is getting a big upgrade as well. In fact, the leaked specs reveals it getting 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM, which is up over the current SE’s 4GB of RAM.

As for storage options, you’ll have your choice between 128GB and 512GB. The base option is a much-needed jump over the pitiful 64GB of storage offered by the current iPhone SE (2022) — while the 512GB will serve storage hungry users well. For some reason, a 256GB version is omitted, so we’re curious to find out the price disparity between the two storage options.

Look, if all of this is true, then the SE will be quite the upgrade on the current third generation iPhone SE. Hung has previously leaked benchmark scores purportedly for Apple’s A18 Pro chip. The OLED screen and extra RAM alone makes it a nice budget phone. We would expect a new model to be priced similarly to the current edition, which start at $429 and go up to $579. Although, there’s still always a chance for a price hike.

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