Light Table: Cooling Off Summer of 1975

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Posted on June 29, 2016 by Tony Ward

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Light Table: Cooling Off Summer of 1975

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It was the summer of 1975.  I was a sophomore in college. During my studies I fell in love with the medium of photography. It would become a lifelong passion that led to a career as a professional photographer and more recently as an educator of the medium. I’ve been teaching in the Photography department at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, since 2010.  

During the 1970’s, I always had my Nikon F2 on me ready for an opportunity to shoot in black and white, so that I could enjoy the immediacy of being able to develop the film myself in any light tight – dark place – that I could find.  During one of my  photographic sojourns I came across this street image of teenagers playing near the Roosevelt Blvd, in my hometown of Philadelphia.  I suppose I possessed the confrontational skills needed to get such an arresting shot of young men allowing me to photograph them while they were illegally playing at a fire hydrant.  The photograph captured a happy  time to be alive on a hot and humid day in Philadelphia.

Editor’s Note: To see more of the early photographs by Tony Ward during the 1970’s go here: http://tonyward.com

News: Last Night in Los Angeles

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Photography and Text by Tony Ward,  Copyright 2016

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Last night at the Melrose Umbrella Co. in Los Angeles I met  with two of L.A.’s finest photographers; Steve Diet Goedde (far left), Dave Naz and their  significant others for drinks to discuss and to see for the first time; Steve’s latest book, ARRANGEMENTS: Volume III (2007 to 2015). Edited by Eric Kroll.

To learn more about Steve Diet Goedde, go here: http://stevedietgoedde.com

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To learn more about Dave Naz, go here: http://davenaz.com

Robin Sanders: An Artist’s Eye

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Photography and Text by Robin Sanders, Copyright 2016

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On the first day of photography class, my professor mentioned something that has stuck with me ever since. He described what I like to refer to as the “artist’s eye” when capturing an image. This refers to the first aspect of an image that captures the photographer’s eye, whether it be an aspect of the subject or even the physical photo itself.  For my professor, for example, the border of the image, in other words everything on the outer edge of the picture, was the first thing he looked at when taking a picture.

The idea that photographers focus on unique aspects of their images has been fascinating to me. Throughout the semester, I have taken note of the details and aspects of photos that intrigue me the most. The result should be evident through the following photos you are about to look at.

Coming from a creative but structured background, my eye notices symmetry, shading and the relationship of lines within a photo. For myself, my favorite pictures are ones where the composition of the aforementioned characteristics arrange themselves in a pleasing manner. Thus, as I began this body of work, I kept an artist’s-eye out for subject that jumped out at me. I first started my creative process by simply walking around my fraternity chapter house. It gave me a fascinating opportunity to really focus on the details of my residence, something I had never really set aside time for. Eventually I moved to the outside of the house, where I realized nature also has a beautiful way of composing lines and symmetry together, as is evident with tree branches, leaves, and flowers. Other pictures were taken on an airplane and at my home in California.

One of the most interesting ways to capture shading and symmetry is through photographs taken directly below light sources. As you will see, pictures taken from such an angle provide a unique view point for lights many of us overlook (or literally underlook).

The following body of work is indicative of how every person in the world has a unique view on life. Each and every one of us works with two (or less) eyes, but how we choose to look through these eyes is unique to each respective individual. Such is the way, and the beauty, of photography.

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About The Author: Robin Sanders is a Junior majoring in Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.  Class of 2017. To read more articles by Robin Sanders, go here:https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/robin-sanders-portraiture-second-look/

Angela Pan: Philadelphia

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Photography and Text by Angela Pan, Copyright 2016

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Cities have always fascinated me, because they are always in transition. Though I have lived in 4 cities throughout my life, none other has captured my heart quite like Philadelphia.

4 years ago, I came to Philadelphia for the first time. Back at home in Hong Kong, I had heard horror stories about Philadelphia’s ‘crime problems’ and was afraid to venture outside of Penn’s campus on weekends, preferring to stay in the safety of the Penn bubble. Yet as my freshman year passed, I cautiously ventured more frequently into the heart of Philadelphia and discovered a beautiful, historic and gritty cityscape that I now love.

Buildings and public spaces are my favourite parts of Philadelphia’s cityscape, from the various public squares that pepper the city, to the Phillies stadium where thousands of proud Phillies fans gather for games. The beautiful architecture of Philadelphia’s public spaces capture frozen moments of the city’s rich history. I am fascinated by the untold stories that each interaction between strangers — from inclusion, to exclusion, to exchange – illustrates in Philadelphia’s diverse public spaces.

Through this series of pictures,  my intention was to bring everyday vignettes of Philadelphia into focus. The photographs feature some of my favourite parts of Philadelphia, with a particular focus on architecture and public spaces. I am not sure when I will come back to Philadelphia next, but at least I’ll have these frozen vignettes of the city that I loved during my college years.

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About The Author: Angela Pan is a graduate of the College of the University of Pennsylvania.  Class of 2016.  To read more articles by Angela Pan, go here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/iceland-a-captivating-land-of-contrasts/