Tag Archives: Janice Wood Wetzel
How to be More Creative – Photographer Gail Dohrmann
How to be More Creative: Interview with Photographer Gail Dohrmann, Boulder, Co.
By Janice Wood Wetzel
Socorro Abstract ©Gail Dohrmann
Photographers Gail Dohrmann and her husband, Russ, live in a beautiful location in Boulder, Colorado. There are many natural areas to photograph, but they feel photographing those same subjects over time begs for more. Gail and Russ together have had two books published, one on hiking trails in Boulder, and the other Boulder’s Favorite Places, which is now sold out. Gail has been in juried shows and a solo exhibit of her infrared work at the National Center of Atmospheric Research. She has had two articles published in After Capture Magazine, plus a couple of images in Color Magazine last year. The couple plans to incorporate their creativity presentation into a book. I was impressed by their presentation on sparking creativity when I saw it on a photo tour in Morocco. I asked Gail to share it with our IMPRINTS readers and she has graciously agreed. Janice Wood Wetzel
JWW: What motivated you and your husband to develop your creativity presentation?
GD: Russ and I have participated in photo clubs for a long period of time. Competing every month has helped us create a large body of work, but over time it seemed that we were stuck in a rut. One judge recently judged every work according to the black and white values, whether they were blocked or blown out. I thought to myself, “That’s like judging a novel based on its punctuation.€ We decided to create a program for our club that demonstrated how we got ideas and how rules could be broken for creative effect, using our images as examples.
JWW: Why do you suppose we get blocked? What are we afraid of?
GD: I do experience creative blocks from time to time. I see that creativity goes in spurts of frenetic activity followed by the question, “Now what?€ I don’t like to repeat myself endlessly, and when all the photos start to look alike, that’s when I try to change gears. I keep an idea file to turn to for inspiration. But my best way to get off the block is just to page through my original images until one grabs me. Then I might try 5 or 6 different techniques until I like what I see. I subscribe to many photographic publications which also give me many ideas and act as stimulus for my imagination. The key is not to edit too much too soon, or to turn on the critical inside voice too early. Experimentation is the key. I like to create manipulated images as it thrills me to take an ordinary photo and transform it to something more original.
Perhaps the reason we have a “comfort zone€ is that while in it, we don’t have to face up to the fears: for example, fears of photographing people on the street or using complicated lighting, or not knowing what we are doing.
Central Park Boaters © Gail Dohrmann
JWW: How can we overcome our fears?
GD: Action! Constant creation of work. Winning contests or getting published does a lot to calm the critical voices in our own head. Submit monthly to contests and magazines. Get your images into the marketplace where they can be seen.
Also, nobody can create salable images time after time without doing post-processing work; my advice is to learn Photoshop or Lightroom, taking classes or teaching yourself.
JWW: How important is it to develop a personal photographic style?
GD: I think style is an important element of any photograph–it’s what makes it seem special and unique. It helps grab attention and distinguish the photograph from the ordinary. Sometimes photographic styles are trendy and become passé after a short time. A personal style where your images are recognizable as yours, is something more profound and more difficult to accomplish, requiring years to develop fully as its essential ingredient is originality. When participating in a solo exhibit, I do think all the images should be related to an overall theme and should be consistent in style.
JWW: What noted or notable photographers inspire you personally?
GD: I love the whimsical surrealism of Maggie Taylor and the elegant surrealism of her husband Jerry Uelsmann. One of my favorite books is “Photo Impressionism€ by Freeman Patterson and Andre Gallant. I have just ordered “Expressionism€ (his new book) from Andre Gallant. I am friends with Jerry Downs on Facebook giving me a wonderful image to see each day (he’s great!) .
John Paul Caponigro has a very intellectual website with much to contemplate about the creative process. Some photographers still think it is immoral (no kidding) to manipulate a photograph. (Aren’t they out of date?)To shouts of, “You can’t do that!€ he answers ,“I just did!€ He says to be open and honest about what you do, but do it.
Van Gogh's Truck © Gail Dohrmann
JWW: How can we become more creative?
GD: The creative person looks for possible photographic subjects in a critical way, not just seeing the object or person literally, but in terms of light and shadow, line and form, and feeling something for what she sees. Emotion is one of the most important ingredients of a photographic image. When a photographer loves something about what she sees, that emotion is transferred to the viewer. One method of sparking your creativity is to go to museums and look for paintings that move you. Then try to replicate the painting in a photograph.
Creative techniques are as simple as these: convert color images to black and white, add texture or an overlay, use creative filters like the new pixel bender I just tried out yesterday, as well as Nik Color Efex Pro, Topaz Adjust 4, and onOne. Combine images into collages or montages, use vignettes and edges creatively, add wild colors, take shots of mundane subjects, try a variety of styles like grunge, pop art, fine art. Try antique photos and selective focus. Photograph everywhere–the coffee shop, the museum, the laundromat, from your front windshield, the jogging trail, the mall, abandoned urban sites. High tech and low tech, use your mobile phone and try to get a winner. Think about technical expertise–yes, professional portraits require it–but low tech leads to spontaneity and energy and funkiness.
JWW: Thanks for your inspiration Gail. I know your suggestions and photographs inspire me. I trust that they will our readers as well.
Transporters – PWP Exhibition
Please join us for the opening reception of Transporters on Saturday, April 16th, 6-9p, to celebrate this exciting new photography exhibition of PWP members. The exhibit, juried by Nick Rosal, runs from April 9th to May 14th, at MH Art & Framing Gallery at 9 West 20th Street, between 5th and 6th Ave. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10-7p, Saturday 10-6p. For more information, visit www.mhartandframe.com.
News From Our President – June 2010
PWP President, Madeline Ring. Photo © Susan Raab
PWP President, Madeline Ring. Photo © Susan Raab
Volume 4 | Issue 10 | June 2010
Greetings from the Board
The PWP Annual Meeting is this week and we look forward to seeing everyone there for Elections, The President and Treasurer’s Reports, Show and Tell and Pass the Mike.
This has been a wonderful year – both the Board of Directors and the various committees have been extremely active and much has been accomplished. We truly believe PWP has turned a corner. With great expectations of things to come, next year should be a great year as well.
The Board
Announcing the 2010-2011 Board of Directors
2009 – 2010 for PWP has been a wonderful year – Many thanks to Janice Wood Wetzel and Jackie Neale Chadwick for their contributions to PWP as they complete their term of service on the board.
We are looking forward to another great year with our new board – please welcome them and offer all the support you can
The Board
OFFICERS
President – Maddi Ring
Vice President – Beth Portnoi Shaw
Secretary – Mary Newman
Treasurer – Adele Epstein
DIRECTORS
Archivist – Catherine Kirkpatrick
Development – Terry Berenson
Exhibitions – Katie Mantell
Membership – Patricia Gilman
Outreach – Karen Smul
Programs – Ruth Gitto
Publications – Trish Mayo
Volunteers – Sandy Alpert
EXHIBITIONS
AMERICANA
PWP and the Exhibitions Committee would like to congratulate the members who participated in the Americana exhibit, and thank the Americana committee and MH Art & Framing for putting together such a wonderful show.
OBJECTS OF AFFECTION
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 – Friday, August 13th, 2010
Mark you calendars for the Objects of Affection Opening Reception
WednesdayJuly 28, 2010 from 6-9PM
The Gallery at Calumet Photo
22 West 22nd Street
2nd Floor New York NY 10010
212-989-8500
________
The Exhibitions Committee has a number of future projects in the works and always welcomes PWP member volunteers. It is a great way to learn about jurying and curating as well as forging great friendships within the organization. Contact Katie Mantell if you are interested at exhibitions@pwponline.org
PWP NEWSLETTER SPONSORSHIP
TAMRON
As you can see, there is an addition to the PWP Banner at the top of the newsletter. TAMRON Corporation is now the official sponsor of our Newsletter and we will feature their banner and website link in each issue. As always, we urge members to support our sponsors.
This month TAMRON has a rebate offer on its SP 17-50 2.8 Image Stabilization lens. Check out the ad below.
2010 ANNUAL MEETING – 6:15PM JUNE 2
Our Annual Meeting of Membership will be Wednesday June 2rd at 6:15 pm. Officers will report on activities and financial status of the organization, and annual elections will be held. If you cannot attend, please make sure that your proxy is submitted.
Order of business:
A. Roll call/proof of notice of meeting or waiver of notice
B. Reading/Approval of minutes of preceding meeting
C. Report of Officers
D. Election of Inspectors of Election
E. Election of Directors
F. Unfinished business
Please make every effort to attend this important meeting.
FIRST PWP INTERNATIONAL OPEN CALL
Professional Women Photographers is sponsoring our first International Open Call in honor of our 35th Anniversary. There will be an exhibition in a New York City gallery as well as an online gallery for selected images. The results of the competition will be featured in 2010-2011 issues of Imprints.
Terry Berenson and Patricia Gilman are heading the committee to create the event and have Stephen Perloff and Elinor Carucci as jurors. This is a great PWP activity and should be very exciting to work on. If you are interested please contact Terry at terry.berenson@gmail.com or Patricia at patriciagilman@gmail.com.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
This year our Community Service Committee partnered with Women In Need, Inc. (WIN), providing both photography and mentoring services for this non-profit organization. On Monday, June 7th, 2010, Women In Need will be holding its “Volunteers Providing Help and Hope” reception at Baruch College. The reception will honor all volunteers who have helped WIN throughout the year, including the members of PWP’s Community Service Committee. Photographs taken by CSC members will be on display.
Our Community Service Committee has partnered, over the past several years, with non profit organizations in New York City providing pro bono photographic services at events. PWP CSC provides the partner organization with an image library of its events as well as display prints for special exhibitions, galas and receptions. PWP gives back to the community and our members gain experience in doing event photography while having their work displayed at these events.
In addition, the CSC has started a small mentoring program using photography as a way of introducing the art form and means of expression to needy children. If you would like to join PWP in this great committee please contact Karen Smul at outreach@pwponline.org
2010 – 2011 MONTHLY MEETINGS
SAME TIME – SAME PLACE
The PWP Monthly meeting will be held next year on the first Wednesday of the month at St. Paul’s Church on West 59th Street, as we have done this year.
PLEASE NOTE – because the first Wednesday in September is before Labor day and the second is in conflict with the Jewish Holidays our September meeting will be WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2010
We plan another exciting year of guest lecturers and programs so please mark your calendars and make the PWP meeting a priority.
CURTAIN RAISERS
Each month the PWP meeting opens with a curtain raiser – a PWP member who has the opportunity to show 10 images to the group. It is a lot of fun and a great way to get your images “out there” with our members and guests as the audience. Our Program Director Ruth Gitto is looking for member curtain raisers for the months of October, November, February and March. Contact Ruth at programs@pwponline.org
PWP ARCHIVES
Our Archivist Catherine Kirkpatrick continues to uncover more interesting items from the PWP Archives. For detailed information on some interesting “Cards and Letters: a Snapshot” have a look at the latest edition of the blog at
http://www.pwponline.org/blog/2010/05/21/cards-and-letters-a-snapshot/
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Sincerely,
The Board
Professional Women Photographers