Charles T. Low Photography
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Giants in Photography
They Walk (Photograph) Among Us
I would like to introduce a very few of my own favourite photographers.
They arose in my consciousness sometimes quite randomly, but then stuck, so I chose them not by any systematic search for the world's most acknowledged visionaries. But I will suggest that they also all possess unparalleled vision. Their work also demonstrates consistency, with nary a falter in their output, every image superlative.
Some of these people have achieved more international renown, and won more awards, than others. Some names you may recognize, some you will not. Not all work commercially. Some act as ambassadors
for camera manufacturers. As it turns out, I have selected all Canadian photographers, although without intending to do so. They all have a social media presence, but I will focus on Instagram.
They matter to me because I don't operate in a vacuum; neither does anybody. We all have influences and inspirations, whether consciously or not, and art has always worked that way.
Following this group also requires humility on my part; I think that they all produce better work than I. (No, really, you're all too kind, but I think that they do.) But an artist does not grow in isolation, and without knowing what else goes on in the world, we limit ourselves most severely.
I often strive, in my own work, towards something like the photography in Canadian Geographic. Things like that set the bar very high, and that could easily discourage the less reflective among us. It need not. I would feel more discouraged if I didn't think of myself as aiming high enough, whether I can hit the target or not, because I didn't even know what heights others attain. The photographers presented here hit high.
This also means that you won't see much of my own work in this blog-edition (but I didn't say none
, and anyway ... you'll get over it).
Enough. On to the photographers.
Michelle Valberg
Photo credit: Michel Guy
Valberg's work simply continues to astound me. This Ottawa-based photographer has absolutely mastered hand-holding a long lens. You won't find fault with any image; they all have excellent composition, perfect focus and exposure, appropriately-chosen depth-of-field, complementary, non-distracting backgrounds and borders, and ... she can do all of this in real time while balancing in a kayak pre-sunrise, or getting frostbit in the high Arctic. (So yes, she does put in the effort, and the hours.) I particularly favour her polar bears and her loons (both always appropriately distanced, but for different reasons!), but her oeuvre far exceeds those two subjects.
I hope that if she comes across this blog herself, that I haven't embarrassed her.
Paul Nicklen
Nicklen may or may not have a home base, but we will generally find him someplace else, always working, from free-diving in the Bahamas (currently) to scuba-diving in the Arctic.
He posted an image of his frozen-solid dry-suit, hanging outside, but his session hadn't finished, and he had to put it back on like that, and jump back in the water.
As above: effort, hours.
He concentrates on conservation (see SeaLegacy), and the photography (and videography) which he produces along the way will leave you awe-struck. He has the most amazing content, from a waddle of thousands upon thousands of penguins, to whales with their calves (and also polar bears). He presents it all with great sensitivity and artistry.
Peter Baumgarten
Baumgarten runs Creative Island Photography, headquartered on Manitoulin Island, and often photographing thereabouts, again seems to work hard, with new artistic output almost daily. Much of it he does at twilight, and he manages to find the most spectacular venues with rich foregrounds, water (of course) and amazing skies.
He also holds a commercial ambassadorship, this one close to my heart.
Pat Newton
I don't know much about Pat. I cannot quite recall how I found him. But he has a fertile imagination, and elevates his work to a standard that few achieve. Prior to getting into photography in the early 1980s, he focussed on painting and sketching, and has an album for that in his online gallery (below).
I learn enormously simply from the exposure to his work.
He explicitly states his rejection of working at a consistent style. (Does that remind you of anybody?) I applaud this, but can assure you that he does generate a consistent quality.
Divino Mucciante
I do recall how I learned of Mucciante, and that story might appear at some other time.
Having spent a lifetime in professional photography, for quite a while as a university photographer, he shows a drive to push boundaries, find amazing scenes which most of us would overlook, and then edit them forcefully, to make the best image he can, not the one which traditionalists might expect from a photograph.
I like all of that. Most importantly, I just like his photography.
You may recall that I have basic standards for art-photography, an arbitrary checklist which helps me, and, assuming the basics like focus and exposure, includes composition, light, background, beauty, subject, and meaning. With the right mix I say that magic
happens (except that I don't subscribe to superstition), and in my book, all of the foregoing, inspiring photographers regularly produce such magic.
Their work strengthens my own. I reiterate: much as a writer needs to read, and a musician needs to listen to music, a visual artist needs to look at reams of visual art (preferably [mostly] good art).
The list of photographers of course could go on. Many others absolutely merit inclusion, but I have to stop somewhere.
So I will stop now. Thank you all so much for reading.
Charles T. Low
Photographer
Blog #67
