DC2107 Fence + Buildings - Lowell, MA ©2005

The range of what can be done with a photograph just in the framing of it is absolutely amazing, but photographs limited to framing are dependent to some extent on travel. Altering a photograph opens up a whole new range of possibilities to subjects that have been photographed previously.

text and photograph ©2005 and 2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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In a circle I can redefine spatial relationships between different parts of the photograph in very different ways than I can in a rectangle, square, triangle, diamond or any other geometric shape. In the mid 1970s I did some work with 1:7 ratio panoramic rectangles as well as diamond shaped photographs. These projects went poorly and were terminated after a short period of time. While a circle gives me different options from some of the several traditional rectangles used in photography as well as from the square, the options are not so extreme as to confuse me in the way diamonds and extreme panoramic rectangles did in the past.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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This photograph was taken in the Bear Lake Trailhead area of Rocky Mountain National Park. The national parks of the western United States were photographed extensively during the twentieth century by photographers like Ansel Adams and the many photographers he influenced. I made this into a circular image in part to show this in a different way than it is usually shown and also because I like how a circle within a black rectangle alters the perspective of any subject.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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The reflections in a store display window will often have some of the same compositional characteristics as a multiple exposure. Reflections in windows often give me new ideas for multiple exposures.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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I began making multiple images with a Bolsey B-2, a 35mm camera where it was extremely easy to make a multiple exposure of any number of exposures. This photograph was made with a Nikon D80, that has very minimal, but adequate controls to do double and triple exposures. This is a double exposure done in Rockland, ME.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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My early photography was primarily done in black and white. Although most of my current photography is done in color, I frequently return to black and white to explore the compositional options that are unique to black and white.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

John Ventrella

Producing a portfolio is a difficult task for even an experienced photographer. John is a former student of mine from my early Summer 2010 photography class at Thomas Edison State College. This photograph from Pompeii, Italy was from a trip John took to Western Europe near the end of class. I like how John has pulled everything together in a well integrated style and has then pushed it further converting the photographs from color to black and white. The portfolio, as well as more of John's photography can be seen at John Vee

photograph ©2010 John Ventrella all rights reserved
text ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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This tree’s massive branches and the clear blue sky seemed like a good match for the circular format and it’s black background. This is a tree in the Boston Public Garden. I have photographed it many times in many different ways.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved

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Photographing store display windows begins with the photographs of Eugene Atget of Paris store windows at the beginning of the twentieth century. In the second half of the century Robert Frank and Lee Friedlander made outstanding contributions to this tradition. I began photographing windows on a trip to Amsterdam when I was new to photography. I had planned to photograph people on the streets of Amsterdam, but was too shy to do so, a problem I have since overcome. This is a window I found in Denver recently.

text and photograph ©2010 Paul Light all rights reserved