photo by Derry Moore

August Photo Newsletter
Architecture I: Interiors

“Architecture is inhabited sculpture.” ~ Constantin Brancusi

Dear Photographers,

Buildings make for challenging, fascinating and meaningful subjects. They are testaments to some of our species grandest aspirations and deepest urges: cathedrals, museums, and skyscrapers. They give evidence to our universal needs for shelter, community and commerce: houses, barber shops, and mega malls. They may start with the functional but also betray our love of the beautiful. Starkly plain or richly ornamented, modest or imposing, buildings offer endless opportunities, not only to revel in the abstractions of positive and negative space, line, curve, and pattern, but also for the photographer to capture images that reflect something essential about ourselves. This month and next we will concentrate on architectural photography. For August we step out of the summer heat to take pictures in cool interiors. Next month will be for exteriors.

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Photo Field Trips

This month we invite you to step out of the hot sun into two fascinating interiors ....

Basilica Cathedral

We're excited to launch this brand new field trip to photograph the stunning interior of the mother church of the Philadelphia Archdiocese. An expansive space complete with giant columns, stained glass widows and marble mosaics, this is an excellent opportunity to work on your skills for managing varied lighting conditions, wide angle perspective and white balance.
Location: Philadelphia

Wednesday, 8/28 3:00 - 5:00

Masonic Temple Photo Tour

This may be a new discovery for you, but the Masonic Temple is a fascinating building, both from the outside and inside. The fancy and luxury, the golden mosaics, stained glass windows, sweeping stairways and Egyptian pillars are the ingredients for some unique and gorgeous photography.

Location: Philadelphia

Friday, 8/23 10:00 - 12:00

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DSLR and Mirrorless Fundamentals Tutorials

Below are descriptions of the basic units of our curriculum available to students ranging from beginner to advanced. Most units are five lessons and include a set of assignments designed to give practice in targeted skills with opportunities to get feedback from the instructor so that you learn from your experiences.

Just give a call and we can set up individual sessions to keep you moving forward with your photography.

Call (610)-626-7854 for details.

(click on links for more information)

Fundamentals 1: Camera Operations is for students who are just starting out, or want a good review of the basic camera functions.

Fundamentals 2: Applications is for students who have some comfort with the camera and want to start applying their skills to expand their photographic range.

Fundamentals 3: Composition takes photography beyond the subject, and encourages you to see the artistic and compositional opportunities in everyday life. Here is a chance for your right brain to come out and play!

Fundamentals 4: Lighting Across the Genres is for students who are ready for the next critical step: lighting. Explore sophisticated means of controlling both natural and artificial light for portraits, landscape and still life to get just the mood and effects you want.

Advanced Photography - Using self-generated assignments and in-depth critiques we will help you move forward in your work.

July Photo Contest:

Travel Photography

First Place Winner

Michael Lichtman

Lavender in the south of France

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Second Place Winner

Walt Miles

Boats in Montana

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August Photo Contest

~Interiors~

Looking indoors, show us what you see. To enter simply email your photo to : owenbiddlephotography@gmail.com

The winning photos will be featured in our next Photo Newsletter.

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Not a photo but....

in this painting, The Red Room, Matisse (1869 - 1954) breaks just about every rule for representing an interior space - allowing layers to merge, allowing pattern to overwhelm subject, allowing perspective to distort - but what beautiful, charming results! The lesson? Allow yourself to play as you elevate art above the dictates of representation.

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In-Person Photo Salon

Sunday, 9/15 2:00 - 3:30

These are very friendly, relaxed get-togethers at my apartment in Lansdowne. Photographers of all levels are welcome to share pictures, get photography tips, and discuss camera equipment. You can also get ideas for entering photography contests, submitting to photography magazines and having photo shows. Feedback from the group provides encouragement and inspiration to go out and take more pictures. These informal photography critiques offer an excellent opportunity to start identifying themes in your work and to get ideas for new directions. Group size is limited, so if you can come an RSVP is required by email or call (610) 626-7854. Cost is $10.

POM

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Photographer of the Month

From a March, 2024 interview with Derry Moore in the magazine, Cabana

Ideal interiors in three words:

Surprising. Harmonious. Well-lit.

Distasteful interiors in three words:

Banal. Vulgar. Pretentious.

Derry Moore

Rachel: Derry Moore is a brand new photographer for me. Why did you pick him?

Owen: Well, our theme this month is interiors, and he's a master of the genre. I also picked him for his love of the exotic.

Rachel: Yes, exotic for sure. But how can photographers in our country find inspiration? We don't have the possibility of photographing crumbling Indian palaces right here in Philadelphia. And not all of us can take off for foreign lands.

Owen: The buildings that he chooses show us especially what time does. The decay is beautiful but transient. The point is to be aware of the beauty in transience.

Rachel: Do you have any local examples in mind?

Owen: Eastern State Penitentiary comes to mind, And even though it's an entirely different look, some of the out-of-use warehouses you see along the train tracks with their broken windows and covered with graffiti. Also, though not in decay, but still with the exotic richness of Moore's work you can try the Masonic Temple, or Isiah Zagar's mosaics. And the interiors of our 30th Street Station, and inside many of our wonderful places of worship.

Rachel: I love the look of Moore's pictures, but take away the amazing subject matter, what makes them stand out to a practicing photographer? His approach seems very straightforward. What are some of the technical or compositional tricks he applies?

Owen: My guess is the Hasselblad super-wide angle camera (or a 4 X 5 architectural camera) is a huge part of the story. With an architectural camera he is able to keep straight lines straight, allowing him to capture wide areas without convergence in either direction and to create great depth of field for front to back sharpness. He also has the knack for choosing the exact time of day to give him perfect lighting. (And I suspect that Moore typically added artificial light too)

Rachel: Is there anything about the spirit of Moore's photography you'd like to mention?

Owen: Great question! I am drawn to the density of his composition, the frame within the frame, the layering up of richly detailed slices of space, the sensitive feel for light and color....

Rachel: How do you think he balances his interest in creating portraits and with his fascination with interiors?

Owen: Another good question. Some of the shots appear to be primarily portraits so the setting serves more to amplify the person. In others it seems the architecture itself is his main interest. Figures serve to animate and to give scale.

Rachel: Thank you so much for your time and for introducing us to an amazing artist.

Owen: My pleasure!