For more information: Instagram: @/joseph_pouwels/
My recent arts column about artist Frank Wollard led me to interview Joe Pouwels. They are neighbors who live within three doors of each other in The Ponds in Summerville.
Pouwels divides his time between Wisconsin and South Carolina. His photography is outstanding, and I told him I thought it had a “National Geographic” quality. He said he once entered one of its photography contests and was a finalist. He attended the University of Wisconsin.
Regan: Joe, when did you pick up a camera?
Pouwels: I picked up a camera for the first time in 1967 as a teenager. It was my father’s Kodak Brownie Folding camera. I photographed animals at the Milwaukee Zoo. Although the images were fuzzy, they are a lasting memory.
R: How did you come to travel so much, such as to the Philippines and Mexico?
P: The Philippines and Mexico are two countries where I have taken many of my favorite photographs. My late father-in-law, an immigrant from the Philippines, introduced me to several islands there, Hong Kong and Singapore, while we traveled together in retirement. I was so fortunate to meet family members and make lifelong friends while experiencing unique cultures, numerous historical sites and amazing vistas with him by my side. In 2017, while living in Chicago, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jacobo and Maria Angeles from the city of San Martin Tilcajete in Southern Mexico at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Since our initial meeting, I have been lucky enough to visit with them several times at their home. Due to their seemingly limitless hospitality, I have had several opportunities to explore their studio, community and region with my camera. One of my photographs has since been added to a local Oaxacan museum’s collection. Annually, I am invited to shoot photos of their renowned art pieces (Alebrijes) at the Jacobo and Maria Taller in San Martin. Their art pieces are exhibited worldwide in various settings — from New York City’s Rockefeller Center to the Vatican. Every year, I also photograph their Carnival, Mascara and Guelaguetza festivals.
R: Did your wife significantly affect your traveling between there and the U.S. to shoot photos over the past decade?
P: My wife has definitely had a major effect on my photography. She has always supported my photography-focused trips, and since she recently retired, I am looking forward to her joining me on upcoming trips.
R: Tell us about your bachelor’s degree in industrial technology with a concentration in technical communications and where that led you. Didn’t you also teach color photography at the graduate school level?
P: My bachelor’s degree in industrial technology helps me visualize what I hope to capture in my final photos. Before getting my undergraduate degree, I completed two years of formal coursework in photography at a vocational school in Milwaukee. While in graduate school, I taught the principles of dye transfer, the zone system and color photography. I stepped away from photography for about 35 years to work in another field. Once I retired, I initially brushed up on the basics of photography. Then, I made the transition from film to digital. It is a fulfilling hobby for me at this point in my life.
R: Do you ever wish you had worked for a publication such as “National Geographic”?
P: All photographers I know would love to have the opportunity to work for “National Geographic.” I consider myself privileged to have had my submissions acknowledged by the magazine twice, as a finalist for one and formally recognized for another.
R: Where would you like to travel, and where could you shoot some new material?
P: Plans include traveling, shooting in other parts of Mexico and photographing the monarch butterfly migration. For a total change of pace and a new challenge, I also want to travel to Alaska to capture the northern lights.
R: What is coming up for you concerning photography assignments?
P: For now, I am focused on meeting project-related deadlines with a photographer friend and partner, Fernando Franco, from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Our current projects include publishing two photo books. One book tracks the development of green herons from a nest of unborn hatchlings to their taking flight and leaving the nest, covering a period of a little more than three weeks. The other book showcases the sites and artistry of my favorite city – San Martin Tilcajete. Proceeds from these books will be donated to charity.
Mary E. Regan is a columnist and freelance publicist with her propublicist.com consultancy. She is always seeking new publicity clients and writing projects. Email story ideas to mary@propublicist.com.
