honorable mention
Ron S. Levy united states
title
Pareidolic Trees: Abstract Creatures
Pareidolia is the illusion of things appearing as something else (e.g., faces in clouds.) It's one way the brain deals with ambiguous patterns and has long been a part of art. This subseries offers the best visual metaphor for my vibrancy theme of everything seeming alive and striving in nature. Indeed, the pareidolia concept has been central to my work and was featured in my 2018 FotoFest Biennial portfolio review and in several projects on my portfolio site (www.LensCulture.com/ron-levy). Those included other botanicals and rock formations, and were alternatively characterized as "alien-looking" or "abstract creatures." I always suggest viewers use their own imagination before looking at titles, but some prefer no titles, as here, except for the series concept. Most of the photos here used light painting during high winds to get the surreal blurs of the leaves.
His main light painting body-of-work since 2013, "Vibrant Night: Light Painting Landscapes" typically explores nature areas in Texas (mainly) at night and its “border” zones. He uses long exposures, lights of different color temperatures, and extensive post-processing to convey what was in his mind’s eye. Conceptually, the work embraces the value of “cognitive reframing” (ie., seeing things “in a different light.”) Major subseries include “Pareidolic Beings in Nature,” "What Have You Done to the Earth," “Gravel Pits and Such,” “Ponds of Stone,” plus limited studies, and an adjunct series, “The Nature of Bridges.” Samples from some of these might be seen here. Full series, variations, and artist statements can be found on his portfolio site, www.LensCulture.com/ron-levy.
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entry description
This is part of a subseries from "Vibrant Night' (Light Painting Landscapes). For the last half decade I've been exploring nature areas at night, mainly in Texas, seeking moments of awe or beauty. And whether illusory or not, I sense a spirit and vitality -- a "vibrancy" -- in all things. The world as otherworldly. Using lights of different color temperatures and extensive post-processing, I expressionistically stylize what I photograph to imply these feelings. And to me, this transformation offers a visual metaphor to a psychological concept: Things can seem different if seen in a different light -- the notion of cognitive "reframing."Pareidolia is the illusion of things appearing as something else (e.g., faces in clouds.) It's one way the brain deals with ambiguous patterns and has long been a part of art. This subseries offers the best visual metaphor for my vibrancy theme of everything seeming alive and striving in nature. Indeed, the pareidolia concept has been central to my work and was featured in my 2018 FotoFest Biennial portfolio review and in several projects on my portfolio site (www.LensCulture.com/ron-levy). Those included other botanicals and rock formations, and were alternatively characterized as "alien-looking" or "abstract creatures." I always suggest viewers use their own imagination before looking at titles, but some prefer no titles, as here, except for the series concept. Most of the photos here used light painting during high winds to get the surreal blurs of the leaves.
about the photographer
Ron S. Levy is a fine art landscape photographer, residing in Houston, Texas, who currently specializes in night photography using "light painting." A graduate of Amherst College with a B.A. and University of Rochester with a Ph.D., Ron has studied photography on his own to this day.His main light painting body-of-work since 2013, "Vibrant Night: Light Painting Landscapes" typically explores nature areas in Texas (mainly) at night and its “border” zones. He uses long exposures, lights of different color temperatures, and extensive post-processing to convey what was in his mind’s eye. Conceptually, the work embraces the value of “cognitive reframing” (ie., seeing things “in a different light.”) Major subseries include “Pareidolic Beings in Nature,” "What Have You Done to the Earth," “Gravel Pits and Such,” “Ponds of Stone,” plus limited studies, and an adjunct series, “The Nature of Bridges.” Samples from some of these might be seen here. Full series, variations, and artist statements can be found on his portfolio site, www.LensCulture.com/ron-levy.
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