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Jim Welninski
USA Nominee Architectural Amateur "Liberated" Chicago, IL. 2014 I am a fine art photographer living in the Chicago area. More specifically, I am an artist who happens to use a camera. The creative vision I have for my work is very specific and has been developing for more than 20 years. My photography is about exploring my inner world and capturing that vision in a photographic print. The camera is merely a tool for expressing that vision. My work is my attempt to artistically realize the unreal aspects of the shadow of my spirit. For me, the act of making a photograph is a long , deliberate, and meditative process. It's not uncommon for me to visit a location several times over a period of many months in pursuit of getting the right shot. What comes out of the camera is only a starting point. Only then does the crafting of the final work begin. I have often been asked if I use Photoshop. Yes, I use Photoshop. It's the darkroom of the photographer in the digital age. I’m not interested in making an accurate visual representation of my subject. I'm only interested in my creative vision so I would use a rolled up newspaper and a magic marker if I thought they would get me where I want to go. The post-production of a piece of work can take several weeks and each step moves me further away from reality and closer to the inner experience I had when I made the original exposure. This is why dark tones are so pervasive in my work and why I work primarily in black and white. I combine long exposure techniques, high dynamic range exposures, and sculpting of light and shadow to arrive at a print that reflects my vision. |
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