In her own words …

The visual arts have always intrigued me. From a young age I knew I wanted to be an artist and involved in the creative process. My love of music led me to start photographing concerts and local happenings for an online publication. However, I wanted to learn more and immerse myself in all things photography. That desire led me to RMSP in 2011.

Cig Harvey talks about photography either being a mirror or a balance. You either take pictures of exactly what’s going on or you run a million miles away and take pictures of the opposite, because you need that balance. I find my process to be similar. My work is conceptual, using images to convey personal emotion, happenings, dreams and lyrics. I make images when words fail me.

Last year, I was honored to have my “Simply Summer” series a winner in the student work category of the 2012 PDN Photo Annual contest. This turned my focus to a personal project. I am currently working on a series of 3 books. The first titled “The Swell”, the second “control/chaos,” and the third title is in the works. Each book exploring different chapters of love, loss, growth, change and strength.

World, meet Sarah ….

As easy as it would be to say that time and money is all it takes to learn photography, I disagree. That leaves out the sheer anxiety, expectations, preparation, goals, and excitement that are involved in any kind of growth.

When I attended RMSP, I had no idea what it would be like. I’d heard stories, sure, but none of them came close to approaching what it was really like to live through Summer Intensive. It was strenuous, exhausting, exhilarating, encouraging, and downright intense. I’ve attempted for the past four years or so, before school and after, to capture moments. That’s why I photograph. That’s why we all photograph. I’ve tested my boundaries and ran into obstacles and slammed into walls.

It wasn’t until I attended RMSP that I gained confidence in my abilities. I became sure of what I can do, and how to do it well. I can now look back on the summer of my life and remember the people and the motivation that made it happen. I now have lifelong friends, admirable contacts, and skills that will carry me through the field of photography.

I’m now a junior at the University of Montana, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Photojournalism. I’ve had the most amazing opportunity to work with and for a world-renowned photojournalist, Ami Vitale. She has taught me more than I knew to ask for. I feel honored that I can now call her a friend.

RMSP gave me the chance to host my very first art show at their gallery in December of 2012. My talented friend and fellow RMSP graduate, Wyatt McCollum, and I displayed our souls in a self-portrait exhibit entitled SELF. It was strange to see so many of my faces on the walls, but that’s the beauty in it as well. I was vulnerable, and it paid off immensely.

I was the youngest student in the Career Training program at age 18, so I would be happy to offer support to any young students who may be anxious about the program. I probably know your fears. My parents were very scared to send me away to a foreign place with foreign people, but the instructors, assistants, and fellow students at RMSP really formed a family around me, which fostered a healthy and encouraging atmosphere in which to learn. Plus, the variation in people of all ages was a learning opportunity in itself.

I’m thrilled that I will get to know and work with students this year during Summer Intensive. I want to see everyone succeed in building confidence in themselves and their photography, to gain even more than what I gained through the program. RMSP is a welcoming entrance to the beauty of photography, and I hope to help make the experience of learning as satiating as it can possibly be. It’s almost here!

 

 

 

Since we think they are all pretty darn cool, we want to introduce each of them to you. Between today and June 3, we will highlight each assistant so you can get a sense of who they are. To kick things off, we would like to introduce Michelle Gustafson. Michelle is a 2011 Career Training graduate who stuck around Missoula after graduation. This summer will be here second year as an assistant.

Here are a few words Michelle submitted which explain who she is and how she got into photography.  Take it away Michelle …

The photographer Garry Winogrand is famously quoted as saying that he photographed in order to see what something looked like photographed. I suppose this is the innate reason why I photograph, that it’s beyond just the visual, but to find something out that’s psychologically and anthropologically true to what’s in front of me. When something is frozen in time through an image, we have the ability to study it, make assumptions, look for clues in the way all the visual elements are placed together in order to find an answer as to what the photograph is saying to us. The longer time passes, the more meaning and attraction of the image comes to the surface and is somehow deemed more important. I find photography fascinating in its relationship to time, history, emotion, society, nostalgia and communication.

Photography had always been in the background of my life in some capacity, whether that was seeing whatever photography exhibits that came through Albuquerque where I grew up, or had a family friend whose daughter was a photographer for the AP, or had someone show me photo essays in Time or in Newsweek. I started to seek out photographers that had defined perspectives of how they viewed the world such as W. Eugene Smith, Mary Ellen Mark, William Albert Allard, James Nachtway, Annie Leibovitz, David Burnett and others that showed me how to really piece together a story and a moment. When I finally started to photograph, film was still being taught at the university I went to, and from that moment on I spent 7 or 8 hours at a time in the darkroom. I basically ignored my original major doing just enough to graduate, but my heart had spoken and it belonged to the visual arts. I started out in newspaper photography for the college paper and have been cutting my teeth ever since. When I came to Missoula in 2011 to go to RMSP, I was ready to walk into the abyss of what was in front of me. It turned out to be a very moving experience in my life and has influenced me exponentially. I find social documentary to be the closest category I could fit myself into, but really, I just want to photograph in order to see what something looks like photographed.

Currently, I am working on a year long project here in Missoula tentatively titled The First Year It Was Spring, about a family raising their first child and when the idea of “family” actually becomes a reality.

Prior to the arrival of the students, our Career Training staff arrives in town for training and to spend time together so they can begin the summer on the same page, as a team. Having these talented folks in our midst every day lately has increased the excitement level a few notches, so we thought we’d share the excitement and introduce them to you, our blog readers. So, here they are, the 2012 Career Training Assistants…

Moira Lennox -

Moira is a graduate of the the 2011 class of Summer Intensive. She grew up in South Africa, but currently considers Minneapolis, MN home … when she is not traveling the world. Moira “shoots anything and everything,” however she says that her true passions and love are found in fine art, documentary & underwater photography.

Currently she freelances, with a mixture of portrait and product work, and is also working on a long-term project to document a client’s ranch in Montana in order to publish a book.

Website: www.moiralennox.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/MoiraLennoxPhotography

Rita Pignato -

Since graduating from Career Training in 2009 in which she specialized in landscape and fine art photography, Rita has been on an upward trajectory with her photography. A native and lifelong resident of Brooklyn, NY, Rita won a SPOTLIGHT AWARD in B&W + COLOR Magazine in September 2011, which featured her portfolio on The Madonna. As Spotlight Award winner, her images were shown in a multi-page spotlight feature (included artist portrait and interview), and published online and in the magazine.

In June and July of 2010 Rita was included in a two-person show called BIG AIR at RMSP Gallery in Missoula, Montana. In this show, she exhibited body of work called Western Sky. In April 2001 five of Rita’s images of Florence and Tuscany were published in the National Geographic Traveler. Aside from her passion for photography, Rita also loves to travel and spend time with family and friends.

Website: www.ritapignato.com

Ben Reed -

Hailing from the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but coming back to Missoula after an extended stay in Big Sky, MT, Ben is a graduate of the 2010 class of Career Training. Of his own decision to come to RMSP, Ben says “Like many … I dreamed of something different. I was tired of corporate America and began to search for a new beginning. I applied to RMSP, was accepted. Then, as I was saving money for my new journey, was laid off. It’s ironic how it all works out in the end.”

Ben is an avid surfer, snowboarder and loves spending time outside.

Website: www.benreedphoto.com

Don Doran -

Coming to Missoula from Philadelphia, Dan attended Summer Intensive in 2008, and followed it up with the Editorial Portraiture course taught by then-instructor Alison Leach. A self-proclaimed people-person, Dan enjoys portrait work and constantly learning about the craft of photography. Combining his love of photography and a degree in marketing, Dan continues to build and refine his photography business.

Although growing up in the digital age and admitting to knowing Photoshop and Lightroom better than the smell of developer, stop bath, and fixer, Dan made the decision to buy an old film camera rather than a “new fancy digital camera.”

Website: www.doranphoto.com

Carly Reichert -

Originally from Kansas, Carly is a 2011 graduate of the Career Training program. She enjoys editorial, fashion and fine art photography. But that’s not all … Carly also is deeply committed to wearing Chuck Taylor’s, likes tea, hates coffee, thinks a good glass of wine can save the day, loves quality cheese and artisan bread and prefers to be in the mountains.

Carly was recently highlighted in the June 2012 issue of PDN Magazine for being a winner in the Student Work category of the Photo Annual 2012 contest. Fantastically enough, the series of images that won her this distinction were photographed for her final project in Summer Intensive.

I’d say she’s in the right spot if she likes the mountains, and has her priorities straight when it comes to her tastes for a good meal (except for not liking coffee!).

Website: www.ameantcondition.com or www.carlyreichert.com

Michelle Gustafson -

Michelle is a graduate of the the 2011 class of Summer and Advanced Intensive and Editorial Portraiture. She is originally from New Mexico, but has called Missoula home since completing the Career Training program. Prior to landing the gig as an assistant in CT this year, Michelle spent some quality time behind the lens while working for the Missoula Independent. She also volunteered her time and talents to document the local goings-on of the 2012 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February, of which RMSP was a proud sponsor.

Website: www.michellegustafson.tumblr.com/

Jimmy White -

Although Jimmy White now finds himself in the mountains of Montana for his third extended visit (he first came as a student in 2009, then came back as an assistant in 2011), he has spent most of his life a lot closer to sea level. He was born and raised in Bradenton, Florida (on the Gulf Coast), where he recently resigned from practicing law. Since graduating from RMSP, Jimmy has transformed his day job from lawyer to freelance writer and photographer specializing in underwater, nature and wildlife imagery. A lover of water, Jimmy uses his photography to support environmental conservation initiatives and even serves on the board of directors of Sea to Shore Alliance, Inc., a marine conservation organization working globally to find solutions to reduce threats to manatees, northern right whales and sea turtles - www.sea2shore.org. He also enjoys surfing, scuba diving, fishing and traveling in pursuit of these activities.

Website: www.jimmywhitephoto.com

A few weeks ago a friend emailed to say that there was going to be a juried photography contest at the arts council gallery and that I should enter something. I, of course, froze and started coming up with all the reasons why I couldn’t do it (see above). Plus, it was too expensive, I’d have to print, matte, frame and ship the piece. Plus (as my heart started racing) the juror was Harris Fogel, curator of the art galleries at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Yikes!

But then something inside me said, ‘Oh, go ahead and try.’ So I did.

Then came the emailed list with the winners’ names and, geez, after all that I wasn’t on it.

THEN several weeks later came the frantic email from the gallery director who said that they had ‘missed’ my entry and the juror wanted to know if I could have my piece there within the week to be included in the show!  (yep, I had not even printed the thing…). So, after firing up the printer and giving it a bit of a workout, I had a finished print I was happy with. It got signed, matted, framed, wrapped and packed and the next day was heading across the country via FedEx.

Although it was a little roller coaster of ups and downs and a flurry of activity, I’m so honored to be included and very excited and glad that I did it.

So, the moral of my story is: What’s stopping you? Go ahead, enter something!

Here’s a link to the Altered States show: http://www.poconoarts.org/

Here’s the entry that got in:

Since returning home this year, she’s back at it again with relocating her studio and business to Glen Rock, PA and photographing commercial work, engagement sessions, weddings, senior portraits, family sessions and one of her favorite subjects, children. She also has managed to squeeze in attending the recent industry trade show PDN Photo Plus in NYC and assisting on a shoot for past ASMP president Judy Herrmann at Herrmann + Starke Photography. All of this experience is adding up to make it quite a year for her, both personally and professionally.

As fulfilling an experience as it was for her to be a student in ’10,  she has expressed to us that 2011 exceeded her expectations in terms of what she would gain from working for RMSP. She could not have been more helpful and inspiring while in the program and to that we say, the school has been blessed to have had her with us two years running.

To see Maribeth’s amazing work, visit her Mary Brunst Photography website and Facebook page.

Marcy James via iphone

Image taken with a cell phone.

iPhone image with "Ansel" filter

Ever since I heard that an exhibit of 130 signed Ansel Adams photographs were going to be shown at the Missoula Art Museum (MAM), I wanted to be part of the experience. As it turns out, I get to be part of two cool experiences. I am beyond excited at the upcoming opportunity to be a docent for the Fifth Grade Art Experience, a program co-sponsored by MAM, Art Associates of Missoula, the Missoula Public Library and Missoula County Public Schools. Every fifth grade class in the county plus some from rural schools in Swan Valley, Darby and Alberton, Montana are invited to attend.

We’re going through docent training right now with Curator of Education, Renee Taffe at MAM, so that over the next 10 weeks, I’ll be prepared to join groups of 5th graders as they learn about the museum’s exhibits. I’ll especially enjoy introducing them to Ansel Adams’ amazing prints and talking to them about Ansel Adams, the person, the musician, the photographer. Can you imagine, 5th graders who were born during the digital camera boom – most of them don’t even know what a film camera is! Luckily I was able to find a box film camera, one like Ansel used when he was their age, and through the wonders of the internet, rolls of 120 film. This is show-and-tell at it’s best. It might not register with them now as profoundly as we might hope, but my goal is that someday they will look back and say, ‘Holy guacamole, when I was in 5th grade I saw 130 prints that were made and signed by Ansel Adams!’

Just being in the museum with these prints has been almost overwhelming for me. The more I learn about Ansel’s process and the intuition involved in his visualization, the more I realize that artist’s need to be allowed to create and taught how to begin to see. Opening the eyes of fifth graders to the possibilities of their own imagination is a gift I’m looking forward to sharing.

RMSP is a proud sponsor of the exhibit and of the supporting lectures series surrounding it. In celebration of this fabulous exhibit, we will be adding relevant posts about Mr. Ansel Adams to our blog all this week.

First up is a re-post of Page Orb Pedde’s insightful article entitled Ansel’s Yosemite based upon his love affair with Yosemite National Park. Be sure to visit the included links Page references that provide valuable insight into this amazing American photographic pioneer. Enjoy!