Alumni Ken Carl´s Exhibit: Joy Possible
May 2, 2013 | Leave a Comment |
American Premiere of Ken Carl´s Photography Exhibit: Joy Possible With Special Guest Jo McGowan, Executive Director of the Latika Roy Foundation.
“In India people with disabilities, who constitute almost four to eight percent of the population are still fighting to get equal access to healthcare, education, employment and inclusion in society. Despite the magnitude of the issue, both awareness of and scientific information on disability issues are lacking.”
Award-winning freelance photographer Ken Carl will be displaying various photographs from a spiritually-altering trip to India where he was sent to capture the essence of the Latika Roy Foundation, a resource center for children and young adults with special needs. Calumet Photographic, 1111 N. Cherry Ave., will host the display from May 9 to June 2, 2013, and all images will be printed by fotoflōt.
Through an opportunity with Momenta, an international journalistic based organization focused on creating unique opportunities for photographers and non-governmental organizations throughout the world, Carl’s goal was to expand his knowledge and horizon, capturing a glimpse of life in a part of the world with which he wasn’t familiar. In the end, Carl obtained much more of this venture.
Regardless of Carl’s years of experience and expertise, the project came with challenges. “After two days I just felt a sense of failure and it was really hard,” said Carl. Going through the initial photographs, Carl didn’t feel as though he was capturing what was necessary. “I thought, ‘I’ve been given this amazing opportunity and I can’t get an image out of it.’”
With that, Carl took advantage of the days he had left. Along with integrating himself even more at the foundation, he asked for permission from the executive director of Latika Roy Jo McGowan to visit students at home and photograph them along with their families.
During his visits, Carl was able to capture nothing short of amazingly true images that exhibited the struggles and realities of families with their special needs children.
“These children have disabilities yet that fact is not a barrier to being a positive light,” said Carl. “The human spirit can never be disabled.”
Two years later, with photographs full of color, emotion and joy, Carl is ready to give people outside of India insight into the school in Dehradun and bring awareness of those with special needs.
“This trip brought and heightened awareness in my photography,” he said. “I want to share the message that joy is possible through sharing, caring and treating each other well.”
Dates of Exhibition: May 9, 2013 – June 2, 2013
Reception: May 9, 2013 from 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Location: Calumet Photographic Chicago, 1111 North Cherry Ave.
Information on the event can also be found on Facebook.
Kathy Beal – Desert Inspirations
February 1, 2011 | Leave a Comment |
Desert Inspirations: Journeys Without and Within
The Desert at Death Valley
For me, the desert has always been sacred. It’s an environment so stripped down that I can’t help but feel closer to spirit. All distractions fall away and I’m left to observe my surroundings and myself, from without to within.
Upon first glance the desert is, well, deserted, and many people never get past that concept. But the more time spent, the more I notice, and upon closer inspection, that the desert is a complex, beautiful, timeless, spiritual place.
For the images in this book, I’ve taken source material directly from the desert; from the stones underfoot at Death Valley Canyon, to the salt crystals at Badwater Basin, the colored rocks of Artist’s Palette, to the brush on the edges of the road at Stovepipe Wells.
In the images themselves, you may see remnants of the undulating Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, the craggy peaks of the Panamint Range, or the shadows of Zabriskie Point, but most of all, I hope that you’ll also be able to see and feel the spirit of the desert come alive in these images.
Kathy Beal
2010
Alumni Participate in The View Project
January 27, 2011 | Leave a Comment |
Alumni Kathy Beal and Stephen Starkman are included in Joyce Tenneson’s book and exhibit The View Project.
Photographs and comments by a wide array of photographers are included – John Paul Caponigro, Sean Kernan, Douglas Kirkland, George Lepp, Jack Resnicki, Rick Sammon, Joyce Tenneson, Jerry Uelsmann, and many more.
The View Project, conceived and organized by Joyce Tenneson, is an exploration of why certain places or photographs that have such a powerful effect on us as individuals. What is it – beyond surface beauty – that makes specific visual moments so indelible in our memory?
“The View Project is about photographs that mirror something in the photographer’s inner life – images that are personal and powerful, yet perhaps not clearly understood, even to the viewer/photographer” – Joyce Tenneson
Exhibit – Santiago Vanegas
December 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
Hagedorn Foundation Gallery presents, “People & Nature”
Photographed at the iconic Stone Mountain, Santiago Vanegas produces a body of work unlike anything he’s done before over twelve year long career. In this series, he explores the intriguing and sometimes odd relationship between people & nature. His photography explores the sharp lines and inorganic colors of manufactured objects conflicting with the natural landscape. The people in his images, although very “normal”, appear outlandishly misplaced. Through his vision, we witness a reality that in nothing short of surreal. Santiago’s People & Nature asks the viewer how and why we relate to nature at a time when our planet is increasingly begging for mercy from our environmental irresponsibility.
Exhibit – Harry Sandler and Barbara Ventura
November 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
ALLUSIONS OF REALITY
“Allusions of Reality’ is clearly a seminal moment in my personal process. I have always been attracted to craft and a multitude of technical abilities, and, at the same time have always felt that I had the sensibility of an innocent. These were difficult to balance with my painting and photography and I struggled, like most do. ’Allusions’ for me is the meeting of form and substance, and, for the first time, I am able to express myself both as a photographer and a painter, with no line of demarcation in between.
UNFOLDMENT
To those who have come to realize that life’s journey is really about the discovery of who we are, as well as the exquisite expression of our true nature, I have the pleasure of sharing, through these images an inexpressible sense of unfolding oneness and wholeness represented through nature’s wisdom and beauty in the orchid.??As the observer engages (connects with) the photograph, through a seeing eye and a sensitive heart, a sense of inward reflection allows an opening to the depths of self as is well exemplified in the gentle exposure of a tender flower in a free exhibition of itself.??Unfolding from within and displayed in their magnificent array, the images warmly entreat a careful consideration of the flowering of human consciousness and invite an understanding of the magnificent dance of life between Creator and Creation.
Learn more about the Exhibit here.
Learn more about Barbara Ventura here.
Learn more about Harry Sandler here.
New Books – Charlotte Bailey Rush
November 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
New Book – Barbara Ventura – White Sands
July 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment |

White Sands : A Place of Being
A set of images with no words that evoke a sense of peace and admiration for the wonders of creation.
“One of those special, unique and majestic places that has been created as a sample and expression of beauty. Inspiring, sensual, magnificent exhibiting the touch of a master painter everywhere you look. To be in the Presence and surrounded by white sand as far as you can see, resounding with silence that penetrates the deepest part of being, with unending possibilities of capturing images, brands your soul forever!”
Learn more about Barbara Ventura here.
Contact Barabara Ventura at barbara@barbaraventura.com
Harry Sandler’s New Book – iPhone Antics
July 15, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
.
“My personal exploration of the IPhone and it’s relevant applications stated 18 months ago. Since that time, wherever I am in the world, the phone is always with me – a camera and darkroom in my pocket. I really enjoy having the ability to capture, process, and share an image instantly from anywhere in the world – not to mention the applications for sunrise, sunset, position of light and various other pieces of information specific to photographers out on the road. The IPhone is an instant feedback and a visual record that helps us expand how we think about our images. It’s a valuable creative tool for any photographer.”
Find out more about Harry Sandler here.
Chris Alvanas’ Book – Apple 3GS
July 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
“Apple 3GS marks a career passage for me in that I felt the need to quiet all of the gear aspects of image making and get right down to perspective, light and composition – nothing else. It was so helpful that I have felt such an improvement in how I see an image or should I say pre-visualize an image before actually taking it. Adding the tools on top of this advanced my work greatly.
I recently showed a small portion of this body of work at a workshop with John Paul Caponigro in Maine. To my surprise and enjoyment, the work was so well received by all it lead me to go a bit deeper and continue the quest of simplifying the process.”
Find out more about Chris Alvanas here.
Ken Carl’s Book – Deeply Rooted
July 12, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
Find out more about Ken Carl here.
Alumni Success Stories
June 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment |
Are you an Alumni with a success story?
Tell us about it!
Adam Merifield – Joshua Tree National Park
June 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment |

Adam Merifield made the most of our recent workshop in Joshua Tree. He came away with more than a few hero shots and a set of related images to support them.
“Being in Joshua Tree National Park is like walking through the dream scape of a stoned conversation between Salvador Dali & Dr. Seuss. Whimsical, bizarre, barren & curiously impermanent this environment embodies all that is surreal and offers the photographer a unique and challenging environment to explore their creative vision.
John Paul Caponigro’s workshop was an experience I won’t soon forget. It seemed sincerely aimed at forwarding each participant’s goals in photography. Me: I was seeking a spark of inspiration and a new perspective on seeing. JP delivered on both. He offered strategies that really resonated with me; he focused on exploring the final 20 and the nuances of what can be. As a result, I am convinced that many of the best images I captured were of scenes I would have walked right past a week prior.”
Read more
Sandler and Graham Place in iPhone Contest
April 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment |




My Alumni and I have been having a lot of fun with our iPhones.
Harry Sandler won one of 10 Wacom Tablet Winners.
Jim Graham won one of 25 Apple App Store Gift Cards.
I won one of 30 Adorama Gift Cards.
Harry alternates between his PhaseOne P65 and his iPhone.
Jim alternates between his Nikon D3X and his iPhone.
I alternate between my Canon 1DS MKIII and my iPhone.
See the pattern?
It’s hysterical to see Harry doing HDR panoramas with his iPhone propped on top of his Phase back. You’ve got to be careful telling jokes around Jim because they’re liable to be posted as video shortly afterwards. I put words in their mouths and thoughts in their heads with comic apps. We’re laughing all the time.
See all the winners here.
http://contest.adorama.com/about
Stay tuned for news on my upcoming iPhone workshop.
Neil Enns Folio Covers
April 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment |

Back in December of 2009 I had the pleasure of joining John Paul on a trip to Antarctica. On that trip I saw firsthand the beautiful folio packaging that Brooks Jensen <http://www.brooksjensen.com> created to sell his work. I very much enjoyed the presentation style, as it is an intimate way to share images with people and a nice departure from large, framed, images.??When I returned from the trip I looked all over for a source of covers to do my own folios <http://www.danecreekfolios.com/folios-for-sale>, but it turns out that nobody (including Brooks) offered them for sale. What was a chance viewing on a ship in Antarctic waters has now become a small side business for me! I now manufacture and sell folios covers <http://www.danecreekfolios.com/> for photographers who are interested in using folios to present or sell their work.??The fun part for me about working with folios is they are an excellent way to explore storytelling and photo essays. John Paul has great guidance on these two topics in his Illuminating Creativity lessons <http://www.johnpaulcaponigro.com/downloads/creativity/creativity.php>, and the folios are a perfect size to hold a story of 7-9 images plus title page and colophon. I am currently working on a project <http://danecreekfolios.squarespace.com/blog/2010/4/12/second-beach-wa.html> involving images of the Washington Coast that will be packaged as a folio with images assembled using John Paul’s Photo Essay technique.
Jim Graham – Island, an Exploration of Nantucket & Iceland
January 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment |

Jim Graham’s newest exhibition explores the islands of Nantucket and Iceland.
Island is on display from February 5 – 27 at the Hardcastle Gallery
Find out about Hardcastle Gallery
From Jim Graham …
There are times in our lives that we make choices without knowing why or what the result of that choice will be. In July of 2001 I stood in a driveway and was admonished to, “Go to Maine, do a show, and don’t loose too much weight.” All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.
I was, at least with the first two suggestions successful. That trip to Maine brought me to my first workshop with John Paul Caponigro. And with his help and support I managed to find a number of images that were worthy of being in a show. That December, six months later, I opened my first solo show, “Along the Waterline.” This coming February, 9 years later, I’ll open yet another show, my ninth since first meeting John, “Island.”
This show holds a collection of images from two islands, Nantucket and Iceland. Each a location is a singularity. Each has its own story. Each offers infinite opportunities. It is part of the photographer’s job to see more intensely than most people do. He must have and keep in him something of the receptiveness of the child who looks at the world for the first time or of the traveler who enters a strange country. I’d like to think I still have that childlike wonder. But I’d also like to believe that over the years that John has helped to open my eyes and share some of his insight and vision. I do know that he has offered me many visual possibilities. And given me the gift of a vision that I might not have had had I not made that initial trek to Maine.
keep looking »


































