Pittsburgh Tribune Review of PITTSBURGH Show

Five Photographers Offer an Eye on Pittsburgh by Kurt Shaw.

Dylan, Mark and I were on hand at the opening reception to the PITTSBURGH a century of photography show. We are all three teachers and many of our students from Pittsburgh Filmmakers and Carnegie Mellon University,were in attendance, as well a number of friends, family and clients. It was great to talk about photography and Pittsburgh with so many people.

I ran into Clyde "Red" Hare this past Wednesday, he was unable to make the reception but I know he wanted to be there. Red took a picture of the Heinz Endowments, DOWNTOWN NOW photography team.

One of the real highlights of the PITTSBURGH show, reception, was seeing the work juxtaposed in one place. From Luke Swank's Pittsburgh to Clyde's through to my own. Same city, such different perspectives. As Mark Perrott said to me as my wife Jennifer Pesci-Kelly took our picture in front of the Luke Swank wall, "This is a good night for Photography in Pittsburgh." And he was right.

Pittsburgh A CENTURY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Pittsburgh A CENTURY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

at the the Concept Art Gallery

November 15th - January 31st 2008

Reception November 15th at 5-7 pm.

Featuring Photography by

Clyde Hare
Richard Kelly
Mark Perrott
Luke Swank
Dylan Vitone

Concept Art Gallery
1031 South Braddock Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
USA

Behind the lens at Thoughtform Design

After last weeks presentation at Thoughtform Design I was invited to sit down with Project Strategist John Sotirakis, and some of his colleagues, for a brief Q&A. Jonathon Hill was one of those and he created the web page of my presentation.

We talked about photography, culture of the amateur, the influence of stock photography on assignment work and our clients interpretation of a visual comp. I talked about the journey from Assistant to producer to photographer. The importance of mentors and mentoring and why I love teaching.

An additional caption and attribution should be noted on the photograph of Greg Louganis, that was a Polaroid test, from a photo shoot in 1986, I was the first assistant and the photographer was David Vance.

Dreams, Goals & Lists

This morning I am presenting to THOUGHTFORM Inc, a Pittsburgh based design firm. I was invited by my friend and colleague, John Sotirakis,to tell some stories that I refer to as "behind the lens" (reference to "Behind the Music," on VH-1).

Going back to my early mentors, David Vance, Art Kane and Kurt Markus the experiences of assisting, producing and shooting come full circle in the photograph that I am creating today for clients and my personal projects.

Later I will share some of the stories.

Shutterbug Magazine Radio Professionalism and Ethics

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to participate in an interview on Shutterbug Magazine radio. The theme was ethics and professionalism in photography. As a photographer and educator these topics come up from time to time in the studio or in the classroom, but it is a rare opportunity to talk about business ethics to a more mainstream audience.

The topic was partly inspired by recent news coverage of photojournalists creating new images from multiple frames using image editing software and the comments of a popular conceptual photographer who created images of a political candidate. Although very different circumstances, both have started multiple discussions online and in the mainstream media about the photography industry and the professional standards and ethics we stand by.

As I prepared for the interview I looked back at some of my experiences over the twenty years I have been a professional. My personal opinion is that the expectations of our profession have not changed, but that society has both raised the bar of what is acceptable and at the same time been an accomplice to more and more sifting under the bar.

Here is the link to the interview, let's see what develops. Bad puns never die they must be archival!

Richard Kelly Photographs • Writers + Light Exhibit at Carnegie Library Main Pittsburgh

Carl Kurlander, producer & director. The screenwriter of St. Elmos Fire author of The F-Word with Louie Anderson. Photographed in Schenley Park.

So many of the people I've photographed over the years are writers--it's actually quite poetic that I've had a chance to visually tell the story of so many storytellers. For the month of August, I have an exhibit called "Writers + Light" at the Main Library of the Carnegie Library Pittsburgh in Oakland. It will be on display in the gallery to the left of the main lobby until the end of August, 2008.

I hope you can stop by and check it out. Here is the Artist Statement and the Captions for the photographs.

Writers + Light
Richard Kelly

Artist Statement

I discovered photography during my weekly visits to the Ellwood City Public library. It started with simple curiosity as I read my way around the library eager to read and learn any and everything. The photography books captivated me. That perfect balance of art and science, photography became my obsession and my passion.

Books were my window to the world. Through books I came to appreciate the art of writing and those that write. I place writers on a very high pedestal; having often interacted with writers, Magazine writers, screenwriters, playwrights, non-fiction writers, and novelists. Writers have introduced me to other worlds, inner exploration, new ideas, introspection, drama, laughter, art, sport, tragedy and much more.

My approach to this body of work has remained true to my course. To create a portrait that tells a story that explains just enough but does not reveal it all, like a good writer.

These images span time from the early nineties to last month. Some were for assignments for publication in magazines, author portraits for publicity, book covers or just plain fun. Most of these sessions with writers are long conversations about the subjects that they write about, books read and experiences we’ve had. I love photographing writers.

These images are part of a continuing body of work called ARTIST’S & SCIENTIST’S: people who use the creative process. Many of the photographs were created with a 4x5 SUPER GRAPHIC using POLAROID type 55 film. The square images were created with a Hasselblad 6x6 format. Two images were made with a FUJIFILM S-3 Digital Camera.

Biography:

Richard Kelly is an editorial and corporate photographer who photographs environmental portraits with style. Richard’s body of work includes commissioned assignments and personal works, both satisfying his mission to capture real people in real places with real passions. Portfolios of his environmental portraits of artists, actors, and captains of industry have been published in numerous magazines including Pittsburgh Professional, People, Information Week and CIO.
Richard’s photographs have been exhibited at Nikon House, the United Nations and Silver Eye Center for Photography, and his work is in various private collections. Richard has been commissioned to participate in The Heinz Endowment Downtown Now Photography Project, which details recent cultural and structural transformations in downtown Pittsburgh.

As a prominent figure in the Pittsburgh photography community, Richard was the Director of Photography for WQED Multimedia from March of 2003 to March of 2007, and is currently the President of Indigo Factory, Inc. He is also an adjunct instructor at Pittsburgh Filmmakers and a member of Silver Eye Center for Photography and American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and the Society of Photoggraphic Educators (SPE). He is First Vice-President and a National Director and of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP
He lives with his wife Jennifer Pesci-Kelly and daughter Grace Ann on Pittsburgh’s Southside.

Captions

WRITERS + LIGHT

Pittsburgh Writers

Richard Kelly

1. Bill Deasy, songwriter and novelist Ransom Seaborn- photographed at WQED Studio A (2005)

2. Bob Corbin, songwriter and performer Corbin Hanner- photographed at WQED Studio A (2005)

3. Duane Michals, photographer The Adventures of Constantine Cavafy-photographed East Carson Street on the Pittsburgh Southside (2004)

4. Lee Gutkind, author ALMOST HUMAN: MAKING ROBOTS THINK and editor of Creative Non-Fiction – Photographed near the Greenfield Bridge (2003)

5. William “Bill” Moushey, investigative reporter Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and director of Innocence Institute of Point Park University –Photographed at the Innocence Institute file room at Point Park University.

6. Jeff Sewald, producer, writer and director Gridiron & Steel – Photographed on the South Shore of the Monongahela River (2008)

7. Bob Evans, editorial director of InformationWeek and TechWeb – Photographed at his home in the East End of Pittsburgh

8. Jeanne Marie Laskas, journalist and author Growing Girls – Photographed on the Southside of Pittsburgh

9. Shauna Seliy, author When we get there- Photographed on the Southside of Pittsburgh (2006)

10. Stewart O’Nan, author Snow Angels- Photographed at Schenley Park

11. Rob Rogers, editorial cartoonist Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Photographed in his kitchen in Lawrenceville

12. Robert Bianco, TV Critic USA Today – Photographed in his bathroom in Lawrenceville

13. Chip Walter, author Thumbs, Toes and Tears¬- Photographed in Studio on the Southside

14. Carl Kurlander, producer &director.The screenwriter of St. Elmos Fire author of The F-Word with Louie Anderson. Photographed in Schenley Park.

...try a different lens she says.

Tracing my steps through downtown Pittsburgh not long ago, while working on a project called Downtown Now I felt like I was bumping up against a mime wall, you know those invisible walls created by mime's with their hands. I had just finished up a multi-week project using a canon d-Slr and my trusty 28-70mm lens and everything was feeling done before. I was looking for light and interesting people and seeing none of it.
At dinner that evening, Jennifer, my wife and muse, said slightly muffled, "try a different lens!"
Of course the advice is good, she only gives good advice, but what struck me is that she had to say it at all. You see this is the advice I give to my friends and students when they get "stuck" with the photographers version to writer's block. Sometimes, changing a lens or film or format will be just the kick in the seat of the pants that we (I) need to find what we were looking for.

I graduated now what? Keeping the flame lit.

It's the end of another semester and for many of my students they have finished their last portfolio review and are graduating. The last semester for many of them has been a flash of ideas, shooting sessions, late nights in the darkroom, (or in front of a monitor) and placing photographs into matte's and then finally the portfolio review. During that crazy last semester, little attention is paid to what's next. I would like to answer some of the questions that my students have asked me over the past few years, usually a few months after graduation. Usually it's an e-mail sometimes a phone call, basically it boils down to two questions.

1. How do I make money doing this?

2. I haven't taken a picture in months?

The first question, I regret, takes a lot longer to answer and I hope to visit that topic over time. Today I would like to take the first step in answering the second.

If you attend any educational institution you have assignments. Those assignments, have deadlines and a critical review. But once you take that last critique and that experience is over you are entering - my world - the real world.

There is no demand, no deadlines, nothing that you have to do. As a creative person with a need to create, you have no limitations and therefore nothing to do. In my experience you will need to create a framework, with rules, guidelines and limitations. Narrow your decisions and take a step forward to being a craftsman and a professional. You will have to be disciplined and self-motivating to move forward.

I am very project motivated. A project - even the personal ones, need these basic attributes:

1. A mission. Why do I want to do this? what is my passion? what is my story?

2. A deadline. If there is no end date, you will be less likely to finish. I like exhibits as a motivation.

3. A schedule and budget. to keep you on track.

4. Peer and Mentor review. Periodically it is a good idea to share what you are doing to get feedback. Just like when you were in school you chatted by the printer or the print washer and your "peers" or your "Mentors" gave you immediate feedback. You are going to still want that interaction.

5. A box. When the project is complete put it in a box. This is really a metaphor to hang it on a wall, put it on the web, create a book. But when you have completed your mission celebrate by sharing it and then move on to the next project . (go back to 1 and repeat.)

We will continue with projects and developing the mission.

Lot #89 Schenley Park Pool, Summer 2005

This past weekend I participated in the Silver Eye Center for Photography Benefit Auction. Held every two years it offers some interesting and exciting opportunities for the photography collector. They had a great turnout, SRO. I was fortunate to be in the front of the SECP as Sam Berkovitz (of the Concept Art Gallery)the auctioneer handled 134 lots, including a Duane Michals, Luke Swank, Mary Ellen Mark, W. Eugene Smith, Clyde Hare, David Graham and yours truly. It is aways an honor to be included in these benefit auctions I have been invited to many, over the years. I also added to my personal photography collection by buying a print from photographer Mark Roh, "Abandoned Treatment Room in Alcatraz" lot #17.
I created this photographer's sketchbook, to discuss ideas and photography, I thought I would elaborate on the creation of the image that I donated to SECP, "Schenley Park Pool, Summer 2005, Lot # 89. (sold to bidder #352 for $400).

I pass this city parks swimming pool many times in a week. It is in the Pittsburgh Schenley Park. I had been commissioned to document the City Park for an arts project back in 2005. To benefit The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, I knew that I wanted to photograph aspects of the parks that related to fun, family interaction, rather than nature.

There seemed to be many aspects of the parks that we all utilize and I thought the pools, tennis clay courts and basketball courts offered photographic opportunities that I could capture. I decided to use a 4x5 Super Graphic camera with a Schnieder 210 lens and using ready load Kodak Portra 160VC film.

I chose a morning that I knew would light the lifeguard chair. On previous mornings, I had arrived too early, the pool sits in an area of the park surrounded by trees on a high ridge. I did not want to arrive too late or I would have people to contend with. This probably comes as a surprise to many people that know me, as I am known for my photographs of people. But as I mature I find myself really enjoying landscapes sans people. I found my spot to set up the tripod, as I had envisioned the image in my mind. I pulled the dark cloth overhead and composed the image. I use a technique of swinging the lens plane out of focus so that only one key area of the image plane is in sharp focus. I moved the tripod and tried a couple of different angles. Working for Art Kane in the 1980's, taught me to always start with a concept - either in your mind or on paper, and then be willing to try another angle or idea once you get there. Not just be willing, but push yourself to try something different. It is important to cover as much as you can while you have the light, the subject and the camera together. Editing the image(s) later is where the concept and idea finally gel together into the selected photograph. More importantly the photograph selected by the photographer.

Genesis and the Big Bang theory

My inspiration for this blog started as most of my ideas do, as a flicker of light. They usually occur in the shower, or on a walk with my daughter, sometimes even when I am driving in the car. As a teacher and a student of life, celebrating that flash of light, the flare of a concept, the light-bulb over the head, is what my career as a photographer is all about.

The creative process - the how, the why, the where and most important to me, the who.

I want to explore the idea of ideas and the photographic performance of those ideas and share them with my fellow students and friends.