Photographer Jason Miccolo Johnson made a presentation last week at Busboys and Poets in DC.  He spoke about the creative process behind his book "Soul Sanctuary" and showed some of the images that were not published in the book.  The 165 photographs in "Soul Sanctuary" highlight elements of the African-American worship experience captured at various churches across the country. Some of the churches were very small, with challenging lighting conditions… whereas others were megachurches and had full stage lighting systems installed.  All of the images were photographed in natural light, without using a flash on his camera.  With all of the book's images presented in black & white, it really allows the viewer to connect with the soul of each photograph. Jason Miccolo Johnson's traveling exhibit will stop next in Little Rock, Arkansas from September 1, 2011 to February 28, 2012.

The Exposure Group (African American Photographers Association) was founded in 1978 under the name Positive Image.  On February 20th, the group celebrated Black History Month with a special program honoring its founding members.  This event, "1978 Evolution of Positive Image", was hosted by The Historical Society of Washington DC.  This afternoon program highlighted the original members' contributions to the art of photography, and their positive images captured of the African-American community.

Each photographer presented about ten of their favorite images, spoke about their thoughts behind its creation and the impact each image had on its viewers at that moment in time.  A panel discussion followed, where members of the audience had the opportunity to ask questions of the photographers.  One of the questions was regarding the scariest situation they've found themselves in throughout their photography careers.  Sharon Farmer replied, describing a photo assignment where she climbed a water tower (3 hours roundtrip) to capture the image she needed… not because she was asked, but because that unique angle was the only one that would effectively tell the complete story.  Sharon would later become Director of White House Photography, and assigned to then President Bill Clinton. She was the first African American and woman to hold this position.

Thanks to Exposure Group member Danita Delaney for bringing her vision to reality with this program.  Also, thanks to video producer Don Baker and fellow production staff members for your commitment to this photography organization.

Marvin T. Jones signing his book "Carolina Genesis"

Founding members (left to right): Milton Williams, Roy Lewis, Marvin T. Jones, Gene Young,
Marisa Nixon, Vernard R. Gray, Sharon Farmer, Edgar Thompson

This is why everyone's looking in a different direction. :o)
Photo by Milton Williams

For more information about the Exposure Group, visit www.exposuregroup.org.  More event photos are available on the Exposure Group's Facebook photo gallery.

During the week of February 23rd, The Virginia Professional Photographers Association (VPPA) held its annual convention in Portsmouth, VA.   Members from throughout the state came together to perfect their craft and share the latest tips and techniques in the industry.  A number of photographers conducted seminars, such as Louis & Joseph Simone, Janel Pahl, Shannon Turner, and John Woodward.  The annual print & album competition was a success, with more than 400 images entered from photographers state-wide.   All of the blue and red ribbon prints were proudly displayed for a couple of days at the Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel.  Although I did not enter this year, I’m looking forward to next year’s convention in Richmond VA.

On April 26th I had the pleasure of being a judge for a Virginia high school skills competition. This year’s state level competition was organized by SkillsUSA and held at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. High school students competed in areas ranging from brick laying to automotive repair to… photography. For the photography competition, there were four judges including myself and photographer Greg Adams.

My task was to judge studio portrait lighting. So, students had to position, meter, and adjust two flashes for a studio lighting setup. They took ten photos and choose what they felt was their strongest image… and explained why. After the competition, Greg and I answered a few questions and showed the students some lighting basics. Your’s truly “modeled” a little, to help show different types of lighting.

Photos by Greg Adams

The last week of February, I participated in the Virginia Professional Photographer’s Association’s (VPPA) annual convention. For the past few years, the event has been held at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel. Congratulations to all the members who entered the annual print competition. Although I didn’t enter into this year’s competition, I have a few images that will definitely be entered in the future. The tough part is choosing only a few prints to enter… whew! Out of hundreds of prints submitted by photographers all over the state, the photo below is just a sample of the images that scored well. Some of the competition categories included Wedding Candid, Portrait of a Child, Architecture, etc.

In addition to the print competition, there were programs held daily by industry-leading photographers such as Vicki Taufer and Hanson Fong. They shared lots of information about everything from studio lighting techniques to their day-to-day studio operations. On Sunday afternoon, there was a trade show full of photography industry vendors. I felt like a kid in a candy store! :o) Anyway, I had a great time throughout the week, and learned a lot in the process.

VPPA competition print gallery, on display in the hallway for all to see

Wow… we’re already a whole month into 2008! Thank you to all of our clients for your business and support throughout 2007. It was quite a busy year of photography and growth for us. Take a look back at some favorite images from the year. This is just a portion of the many events and portraits photographed last year by Benson Blake Photography. While creating this slideshow, it was amazing to see all the great moments that were captured through photographs. Feel free to leave a comment… Enjoy!

Slideshow (runtime 3:59)

View the Gallery