New Website and Blog

I've just launched my newly designed combination Website and Blog, so I'm retiring this blog. My posts will remain archived here collecting dust. Please stop by my new site to have a look.

So long for now — Stan

Night in Oaxaca

I'm happy to be back in Oaxaca for another workshop with Ernesto Bazan and a wonderful group of old and new amigos. Tonight we head for an all-night experience at the pantheon in Atzompa, and tomorrow we travel to the sierra above Oaxaca for more adventures. 

Calle de Adolfo Gurrion, Oaxaca - 2013

      
I'm also delighted that my image Dos Hombres en Barrio de Jalatlaco, taken in Oaxaca two years ago in Ernesto's workshop, is part of Aline Smithson's Lenscratch Night Exhibition.

Dos Hombres en Barrio de Jalatlaco - 2011

Elementa at Bilinear Art

The Georgetown neighborhood in Seattle has become a vibrant area for the arts with its monthly Third Thursday Art@SDC, Second Saturday Art Attack and many art galleries in the Seattle Design Center, including Bilinear Art Consulting, founded by Krista Kelly in 2006.
    
I’m delighted to be part of the new Bilinear exhibition Elementa with two of my photographic prints, Boulevard Saint Germain, Paris and Metro Line 1 near Peoples Square, Shanghai. 
    

Boulevard Saint Germain, Paris
   

Metro Line 1 near Peoples Square, Shanghai
    
In addition to photography, the exhibit also features painting, encaustic, sculpture and mixed media work by Susan Russell Hall, Sylvain Copon, Savina Mason, Jessie Redstone, Patrick Slattery, Danielle Dean Palmer and Eric Newman. 
    
The exhibition will run from October 17, 2013 through January 8, 2014, with an opening party October 17 from 6-10 pm. Other galleries in the SDC, including CoCA Georgetown and Gallery [context] will have opening receptions on the same evening. Bilinear Art is located in the Seattle Design Center at 5701 Sixth Ave South, Plaza Suite 260.

UW Hall Health Center Permanent Art Collection

I'm happy to announce that two framed prints from my portrait series have been acquired by the University of Washington Hall Health Center for their permanent art collection. The collection is curated by Mark Shaw and is on display  throughout the building.  There will be a reception and art walk in early November, and I'll update this post with the details when they become available. The Hall Health Center is located on East Stevens Circle on the University of Washington campus in Seattle.

Girl in Chair - Ometepe, Nicaragua

Mejores Amigas - Granada, Nicaragua

Center Forward 2013

I'm delighted that my image Metro Line No. 1 near People's Square, Shanghai was selected for the Center Forward 2013 Exhibition at The Center for Fine Art Photography. The exhibition was juried by Hamidah Glasgow and includes the work of forty-eight photographers from around the world. Prints will be on display in the main gallery from October 4 through October 23, 2013, with a reception on October 4 from 6-9 pm. Hamidah Glasgow will be available for a limited number of portfolio reviews on Saturday, October 5.  Fortunately, the Center for Fine Art Photography was not affected by the recent storms and flooding. It is located at 400 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO.

Metro Line No. 1 near People's Square, Shanghai

Columbia City Gallery 8th Annual Juried Exhibit

I'm delighted that two of my recent images from Brazil were selected for the Columbia City Gallery 8th Annual Juried Exhibit. I was one of 20 artists selected from over 400 submission. I captured these images during a workshop with my friend and mentor Ernesto Bazan. The exhibition runs from September 25 to November 17, 2013 and was juried Juan Alonso-Rodriguez, Randy Engstrom and Yoko Ott. There will be an Artist Reception on Saturday, September 28 from 5 to 8 pm. The Columbia City Gallery is located at 4864 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118.

Update 10/06/2013: I'm honored to receive the Second Place Award for my photograph Rua Simoes Filho. the First Place Award went to Andrew Hoeppner for his ceramic work, and the Third Place Award went to Robin Green for her pencil drawing.

Rua Simoes Filho - Cachoeira, Brazil

Man and Rooster - Cachoeira, Brazil

Shots #121 - Autumn 2013: The Five Senses

I'm honored that my photo Praça Thomé de Souza, Salvador, Brazil is included in Shots 121 - Autumn 2013: The Five Senses. I captured this image during a workshop with my friend and mentor Ernesto Bazan. The issue includes the poetic interpretation of this topic by 38 photographers from around the world.  Shots is a quarterly independent journal of photography that is edited and published by Russell Joslin.

Praça Thomé de Souza, Salvador, Brazil

2013 Grand Prix de la Decouverte Juror Award of Merit

I'm pleased to have received the Juror Award of Merit in the Street Photography/Documentary category in the 2013 Grand Prix de la Decouverte International Fine Art Photography Competition for my image Gai Ghat, Varanasi. The awards are given to photographers whose images are selected in the top ten of a category by a member of the distinguished jury.

The competition included the following categories: People/Portraits, Landscape/Seascape/Nature, Cityscape/Architecture, Still Life, Abstract, Experimental, and Street Photography/Documentary. A web galleries for the winners may be viewed on the Grand Prix de la Decouverte website.

Gai Ghat, Varanasi

Critical Mass 2013 Finalist List

I’m delighted to be on the Critical Mass 2013 Finalist List with new work from the Amazon River basin. Critical Mass, part of Photolucida, is an annual program which provides finalists the opportunity to have their work reviewed by a large jury of over 200 renowned photography professionals from around the world. Photographers submit a portfolio of ten images, an artist statement and a brief biography. The work is initially screened by a committee of 25 jurors to select the finalist. Their portfolios are then reviewed and ranked by the larger jury. One or more of the finalists is selected for a book award and after publication, the monographs are sent to all participants and jurors. This program is a wonderful opportunity for emerging and mid-career photographers to obtain crucial exposure and to promote their art. All Critical Mass participants receive a DVD of all entries and along with a monograph of their choice from the Photolucida library. The Photolucida Blog also provides some interesting insights to the current trends in photography.

Eye on the Street at Keirnan Gallery

My print Metro Line 1 near People's Square, Shanghai will be on display in the Eye on the Street exhibition at the Kiernan Gallery in Lexington, VA. The exhibition was juried by John N. Wall, photographer, a writer, and a teacher at NC State University. The exhibition features thirty prints in the gallery and will be on display from September 4 - 28, 2013, with an opening reception on September 6. A catalog of the exhibition is available from Blurb Books.

Metro Line 1 near People's Square, Shanghai

Thirty-five additional images, including my photo Coney Island Boardwalk, Brooklyn, are featured in their on-line gallery. The Kiernan Gallery is located at 23B West Washington St,  Lexington, VA.

Coney Island Boardwalk, Brooklyn

Honorable Mention - Texas Photographic Society Show

I'm delighted that my photo from Cachoeira, Brazil, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Texas Photographic Society 26th Annual Members' Show juried by Elizabeth Krist, Senior Photo Editor for National Geographic.  The exhibition will be on display from September 13 - October 13, 2013 at the Islander Art Gallery at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, TX. The entire show may be viewed on the TPS website.

Cachoeira, Brazil

Discovering Connections

I'm glad to be part of the exhibition Discovering Connections--A Sum of the Parts in the Corridor Gallery with two prints from my Daybreak on the Ganges series. The exhibition features works by Artist Trust EDGE Professional Development Program graduates Janice Arnold, Zal Berkowitz, Amy Buchheit, Terra Fine, Susan Gans, Naomi Gray, Robin Green, Kathy Kimball, Marianne Legg, Dorothy McGuinness, John Osgood, Stan Raucher and Lee Withington. The show will be on display from July 30 to Sept 3, 2013 and the Corridor Gallery is located in the Tashiro Kaplan Building, 306 S. Washington St, Seattle, WA.

Man Mandir Ghat, Varanasi

Scindia Ghat, Varanasi

CoCA Collision in Seattle

The Center on Contemporary Art in Seattle will be presenting CoCA Collision, an exhibition of members artwork ranging from large paintings to tiny sculptures, audio and interactive installations and performance art. CoCA Collision includes the work of over 150 artists and was curated by Shawn Ferris, Joseph Roberts and Chris Crites. The exhibition will be on display at the CoCA Georgetown Gallery from July 18 through September 14, 2013, with an opening reception on Thursday, July 18 from 5-9 pm. The CoCA Georgetown Gallery is located in the Seattle Design Center, Suite 258, 5701 6th Avenue South, Seattle, WA. My print Metro Line 1 near People's Square, Shanghai will be featured in the exhibition, as will work from my Artist Trust 2008 EDGE colleagues Susan Gans, Dorothy McGuinness and Zal Berkowitz. 

Black + White 2013 at Center for Fine Art Photography

I'm delighted that my image Gai Ghat, Varanasi from my series Daybreak on the Ganges was selected for the Black + White 2013 Exhibition at The Center for Fine Art Photography. The exhibition was juried by Jan Potts and Elizabeth Cordon of Cordon Potts Gallery in San Francisco, and contains a wonderful diversity of compelling images, including work by my friends Victoria Bjorklund, Martin Gremm and Jamey Stillings. Prints will be on display in the gallery from July 5 through August 24, 2013, with a reception on August 2 from 6-9 pm. The Center for Fine Art Photography is located at 400 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO.

Gai Ghat, Varanasi

City Streets | Country Roads Exhibition

I'm happy to be included in the City Streets | Country Roads Exhibition at the Vermont PhotoPlace Gallery with my image Dante Monument, Naples. The exhibition was juried by Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb. It will run from July 16 through August 10, 2013, with an Artist Reception on August 9. A catalog for this exhibition is available through Blurb.

Dante Monument, Naples

Ed Kashi Eyes in Progress Workshop

I just completed a wonderful Eyes in Progress workshop in Paris with Ed Kashi. The theme of the four-day workshop was Visual Storytelling. It was organized by Véronique Sutra and included ten participants from around the world - Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States. Every morning Ed would talk about his approach to storytelling, which includes still images, video and audio. He also discussed how photojournalism has evolved over the years and his approach to advocacy work and the use of social media. All of the participants showed portfolios of their work on the first day and then selected a project to photograph during the workshop. I chose to continue working on my Metro project, which appropriately began in Paris six years ago, and I'm delighted to have been able to capture additional images for this body of work.

Metro Line 6 near Concorde, Paris - 2013 

Ed reviewed everyone’s work on a daily basis and provided valuable insights. He then helped everyone edit and sequence their images on the final day of the workshop. We all made tremendous progress over the course of these intense four days, and we also managed to have a great deal of fun. Thanks so much to Ed for his inspiring teaching, to Véronique for her amazing care in organizing the workshop, to Niko for his assistance and to all my new friends and fellow participants.

Update: All of the participants interviews, portfolios and professional reviews are now on the Eyes In Progress website, including the review of my portfolio by Pauline Vermare of the International Center of Photography.

Newspace 2013 Juried Exhibition

I'm honored to be included in the Newspace 2013 Juried Exhibition with my print Dante Monument, Naples. The exhibition was juried by Sarah Stolfa, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center and will be on display July 5 - 28, 2013, with an opening reception on July 5 from 6-9 pm. The Newspace Center for Photography is located at 1632 SE 10th Avenue, Portland, OR.

Dante Monument, Naples

The Decisive Moment in Portland

I'm delighted to be included in The Decisive Moment: Documentary and Street Photography exhibition at the Black Box Gallery in Portland, with two prints on display in the gallery (On the Launch from Elephanta Island, Mumbai, India and Ferry from Itaparica to Salvador, Brazil), and an additional image (Linha 2 at Consolação, São Paulo. Brazil) included on their online annex. Although these images are from different locations, their unifying sensibility is the tender moments of human affection that they reveal. The exhibition was juried by Christopher Rauschenberg and includes the work of over thirty photographers from around the world. It will be on display from July 1-20, 2013 with an opening reception on July 12, 5-8:30 pm. The Black Box Gallery is located at 811 East Burnside Street, Suite 212 Portland, Oregon.

On the Launch from Elephanta Island, Mumbai, India

Ferry from Itaparica to Salvador, Brazil

Linha 2 at Consolação, São Paulo. Brazil

On-Line Exhibition at the University House Wallingford

I'm pleased to be part of the On-Line Exhibition at the University House Wallingford in Seattle. The exhibition was curated by June Sekiguchi and features the work of 39 artists. Two prints from my One Thin Line series, vertical diptychs that explore the differences and similarities between images that I captured in Paris and Latin America, will be in the exhibition. The show will be on display from June 20 through October 14, 2013, with an opening reception on June 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The University House Wallingford is located at 4400 Stone Way N, Seattle.

Rue Tronchet, Paris  -  Ricos Tacos, Oaxaca

Second Class Bus Station, Oaxaca  -  Rue Pierre Lescot, Paris

Review Santa Fe

I’m excited to be on my way to Review Santa Fe for the first time. One hundred photographers from around the world have been invited to this prestigious event where they will show their work in twenty-minute sessions to reviewers they have selected from a list of 44 curators, gallerists, publishers and collectors. I will be showing my Metro portfolio to nine reviewers during the three-day event. In addition to the reviews, there will be several public events, include a Portfolio walk on Friday, June 7, from 6 to 8 pm at the IMH Retreat Center and public lectures. Now, all I need to do is to figure out how to get from the Brighton Beach MTA Station in Brooklyn to Santa Fe.

Brighton Beach MTA Station, Brooklyn

Black & White Magazine Excellence Award

I’m extremely pleased that my portfolio Avoid Naples! has been selected for an Excellence Award in the 2013 Black & White Magazine Portfolio Contest. Six images from this portfolio are featured in a four-page spread Black & White Issue 98, August 2013, which is now on newsstands. This is quite an honor since there were only 15 winners in this category out of 1008 portfolios submitted.

Dante Monument, Naples

Spanish Quarter Warning, Naples

Via Mario Morgantini, Naples

Fishmonger, Naples

Via Foria, Naples

Linea 2 at Montesanto, Naples

Photolucida 2013

I’m excited to be heading down to Portland for the 2013 Photolucida Portfolio Reviews. This event, which takes place every other year, brings together 160 photographers and 60 reviewers from around the world. Over the next four days, each photographer will have the opportunity to meet with 18-20 reviewers of their choice for twenty-minute in-depth review sessions. The reviewers, who are gallery owners, curators, publishers, editors, and consultants, provide valuable critiques of the work. In many instances the connections result in exhibitions, publications and sales. In addition to the formal reviews, photographers share their work with one another and with informal roving reviewers. Several events are open to the public. There will be a portfolio walk featuring the work of the 160 participating photographers from 6 - 9 pm on April 18 at Castaway, 1900 NW 18th Avenue, Portland. Alec Soth will give a talk at the Portland Art Museum Whitsell Auditorium at 7 pm on April 19 with advanced tickets suggested. Photolucida is part of Portland Photo Month.

Website Update

I just completed some house cleaning on my website in preparation for Photolucida. I added  images from my Daybreak on the Ganges series. I also deleted a few galleries of older work and edited the remaining galleries by removing some photos. It's always difficult to remove favorite old images, but this is often necessary to strengthen a body of work. Stop by and have a look. I would appreciate any comments you may have.

Gai Ghat, Varanasi

Shots 119 - Spring 2013: Creatures Issue

I'm extremely pleased that my photo Departing Dog, Varanasi is featured in Shots 119 - Spring 2013: Creatures Issue. Shots is a quarterly independent, reader supported journal of photography which is edited and published by Russell Joslin. This is the first time my work has been shown in this important publication.
  

Departing Dog, Varanasi

LENSCRATCH 2013 Portrait Exhibition

I'm delighted to have my photo At the Coal Yard, Varanasi included among the compelling collection of images in Aline Smithson's LENSCRATCH 2013 Portrait Exhibition. This shows a somewhat different side of Varanasi from the serene images that I captured along the Ganges at dawn.
   

At the Coal Yard, Varanasi 

Daybreak on the Ganges

The Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus and it is worshiped as the goddess Ganga. Varanasi, located on the banks of the Ganges, is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the god Shiva. Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings moksha - the liberation from the cycle of repeated death and rebirth. A stroll along the ghats of the Ganges at daybreak, where pilgrims wash away a lifetime of sins by performing their ritual ablutions, provides a tranquil, timeless perspective. 
  
Nine prints from my series Daybreak on the Ganges will be on display at the Clarridge Gallery in Bellevue, WA from March 3 through March 27. The Clarridge Gallery is located in the office/bookstore of the Eastshore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd Street, Bellevue, WA. Gallery hours are weekdays 9 am to 5 pm.  Call 425 641 3146 for weekend hours.
   

 Man Mandir Ghat, Varanasi 

 Meer Ghat, Varanasi

 Ram Ghat, Varanasi

 Lalita Ghat, Varanasi

 Scindia Ghat, Varanasi 

 Lal Ghat, Varanasi

 Three Bathers, Varanasi

 Gai Ghat, Varanasi

Under the Malviya Bridge, Varanasi   

All of these images were capture during my visit to Varanasi in 2012.