Welcome To The Forum!

Welcome to the downtown photographers forum! The Photographers Forum is a peer-led critique and support group for photographers working in any process. We have a great mix of photographers that work in either film or digital formats.

The forum meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Visual Art Exchange (309 W. Martin Street, Raleigh). Meetings begin at 7:00pm. Meetings are free for members of the VAE and only $5 for non-members. Check out the VAE at http://visualartexchange.org/

This will be the space for updates and information on the group, it's members, and the photography world in general. Stop back often and see what's new!

Celebrate World Photo Day!

Don't let inclement weather keep you in!

Today is World Photo Day! It marks the date when the first practical photographic process was released from it's patent. The process was the Daguerreotype, invented by Louis Daguerre in 1837. Two years later, on August 19, 1839, the French government purchased the patent and made it freely available to the world as a gift.

So, take a moment today to create an image to honor that gift to the world and bring it to our next meeting on September 10. We'll take a couple of the most popular and post them here. But, the image must have been taken today only!

Don't wait, get up and away from your computer, grab your camera and get busy!

"Baptême, Rose Calmethene: a retrospective exhibition"

Image (c) 2014 J.D. Horwitz

Do not miss our own J.D. Horwitz with his retrospective exhibition" "Bapteme, Rose Calmethene opening this First Friday, August 1st at Litmus Gallery, 312 West Cabarrus St. Raleigh, NC 27601.

The opening reception will be from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. If you can't make it Friday, the exhibit is open for viewing on Saturdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm or by appointment. (919-571-3605 or email artvision@bellsouth.net). Check out their website: http://www.litmusgallery.com/  Don't wait too long because the exhibit will close on August 30th at 2:00pm.

This will be the last opportunity to see John's work exhibited for some time as after the show closes he will be sending it off to Perdue University to become part of their permanent photography collection.

Don't say you were never told. Don't miss this one!!!

 
 

 

 

Welcome to Holga Week July 21-27, 2014!

Today starts the first day of the first annual Holga Week. What's a Holga you ask? For the uninitiated in all that is film photography, the Holga is the ultimate in low-tech image creating. The camera has many quirks which is what gives it so much charm. It is the embodiment of wabi-sabi. It's imperfections are what makes it so perfect.

Made almost entirely of plastic (including the lens!) the Holga lacks all the bells and whistles that are features of todays modern cameras and instead places the emphasis on the photographers vision. No agonizing over what function to select or dial to turn, there aren't any!

To learn more about the Holga camera, go here.

To learn more about Holga week, go here.

In the triangle area stop in at Peace Camera, your local resource for all that is Holga.

For those that may have an aversion to anything having to do with film, there are digital accessories that will replicate the look of the film version, but they aren't nearly as much fun...

June Meeting of the Photographers Forum

Don't forget to mark your calendars for our next meeting which will be Wednesday June 11th at 7:00pm at VAE (309 W. Martin Street, Raleigh).

I know now that the weather is getting better we're all enthused about getting out and creating images! So let's begin thinking about all those photo projects you've put on hold for the winter, bring some images, and come to the VAE to join the conversation and get inspired!

If you have any questions, or need any more information, please let me know.

I look forward to seeing you all at our next meeting!

Ray

919-783-9173

rpstudioart@gmail.com

Congratualtions to Forum Member John Horowitz!

Congratulations are in order for our friend and Forum member John Horwitz who has been asked by Perdue University to donate his life's work to their photo archive. This is an incredible honor for an absolutely gifted photographer. Those of us who have had the pleasure of John's association and discussing his work know that it is truly deserved.
 
For anyone who might not be familiar with his work, John will have an exhibit opening August 1st at Litmus Gallery (312 West Cabarrus Street in Raleigh). This will be a great opportunity to meet John and talk about his work. (The next best opportunity would be to attend a Forum meeting! John attends regularly and is always ready to hold forth on almost any topic.)
 
So don't miss it!