Tall ships photo exhibit sets sail in March
Professional photographer Mike Smith and advanced photographer Scott Evans offer a glimpse of the Chicago skyline from a nautical perspective during their exhibit "Tall Ships Photography," on display at Gallery 200, 200 Main St. in West Chicago, from March 3-27.
The exhibit features images taken from aboard the official media boat during the arrival of the tall ships at Navy Pier in Chicago in the summer of 2010. While other boats were kept at a distance, the media boat offered photographers a unique opportunity to capture the ships arriving under full mast from a close perspective.
"It was an honor to be among the few people aboard the media boat and to have exclusive access to the majestic ships as they arrived in the Windy City under full sail," said Smith.
Smith, a professional photographer since 1985, has won numerous national and international awards and specializes in theatrical, portrait, commercial and industrial photography, with his images appearing on television networks, newspapers and trade publications as well as the book cover for "Haunted Naperville". He admits that his favorite subject is theatrical and theme photography, such as area burlesque troupes and the new industry for modeling which evokes the 1940s and 1950s style of pin-up photography.
"People let their inner selves come out to play, a side that they normally wouldn't show to their friends and family," said Smith.
A Gallery 200 member, Smith shares his professional skills during a series of introductory photography workshops offered throughout 2011 in the lower level of the Gallery at Gallery 200/STUDIO, 203 Turner Court, West Chicago.
On Saturday, March 19, the topic is "Seeing the Light: Quality, Quantity and Direction" and includes techniques for shooting during "the golden hour" at sunset and "the blue hour" at twilight.
The April 9 workshop will cover basic composition and a discussion of what should and should not be included in an image. Workshops are geared toward beginner photographers with digital SLR cameras, and the cost is $30 per workshop. Participants must provide their own cameras.
For additional information or to register for a workshop, visit www.gallery200.org or contact Mike Smith at mike@photographic-services-international.com.
Evans is a graphic and web designer, as well as a musician and photographer, specializing in sports, landscapes, portraiture, wildlife, travel and still life photography. His influences range from Ansel Adams to contemporary artists such as Scott Kelby, Bob Davis and Joe McNally. "I approach photography from an artistic and technical standpoint, blending together both the technical side of my brain with the artistic side," said Evans.
Building on the nautical theme of the exhibit, a free opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 5 at the gallery offers an opportunity to meet the artists and includes light refreshments, as well as songs of the sea performed by "Bounding Main," and a popular Captain Jack Sparrow impersonator, known from his work in local television commercials.
Gallery 200 is a cultural initiative supported by the City of West Chicago and the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission, and is one more reason West Chicago was named an Illinois Arts Friendly Community in 2007. Gallery 200 is open Thursday and Friday from noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, including a complete list of current art classes, call (630) 293-9550 or visit www.gallery200.org.