Thursday, August 14, 2008

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.