Photographer Holds Art Show at Library

If you've been thinking of visiting Jackson Hole, Wyoming and haven't gotten there yet, you're in luck thanks to photographer, Joel Weber. Following a series of treks to the Wyoming national park, Weber offered stills he took to the Mineola Memorial library as part of a photography exhibit that ends September 1. 

The exhibit also includes photos from Canada, upstate New York and New Jersey.

Though Weber's work includes the standard sunset and sunrise images, the photographs on display are not your typical scenes. "Every photographer looks for that popular landscape shot featuring the spectacular sunset and rippling water but that's not me," Weber said.

A self-described "quiet guy," Weber said he prefers to shoot images when the weather is what most would refer to as "hostile photographic conditions."

Enduring the 20-degree weather, Weber spent an hour shooting away during his March visit to Ox Bow Bend, sharing the space with just one other photographer. During a previous visit during the fall, he had to literally elbow his way through swarms of photographers to take a photo; the only difference between the two trips was the weather.

As to the aesthetics of photography, he said that a good photographer needs to "master the technical aspects and then forget them." He prescribes concentrating on "capturing the moment," or as French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson termed, "the decisive moment," noting that gesture and timing are critical factors and focusing on the layout of each photograph.

To illustrate his point, Weber points to his Mormon Row in the Rain, a line of homestead complexes near the southeast corner of Grand Teton National Park. The overcast sky creates a serene mood, which is quite reflective. Another image, this one unnamed, was taken in June, 2009 and shot just after sunset. Weber points out how the different values of "greens" jump out at the viewer.

Weber's career in photography began at the age of 13 when he was given his first camera. Following graduation from the University of New Mexico and City College of New York, he became a caseworker for the city and then a Federal probation officer, taking official portraits of district justices.

Weber's current work as a part-time professional photographer includes theatrical performances, headshots, annual reports and events. Landscapes are a current passion along with floral images and what Weber calls "the urban stage" - candid images taken on the street, in museums and other public places. An English major, he is hesitant to commit to any one concentration since he finds a broad spectrum of subjects appealing as exemplified by his work.

Weber's show will run through September 1 at the Mineola Memorial library in the Walter and Joan Hobbs Art Gallery.

Images can also be viewed at: www.beechtreeimages.com. All of the artwork in the show is for sale. Weber is also available to photograph business or social functions and can be contacted at: beechtreeimages@yahoo.com.