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Arts & Photography
Stephen Voss, Photographer
Introduced by M.G. Hudson
Dignity Village's new
site out by the airport was problematic for a number of reasons. One of the most
obvious issues was the pooling of water when it rained. During the winter, it is
frequently (even constantly) raining, and in order to keep their tents dry, the residents
used wooden pallets to raise their tents above the wet ground. I thought the emphasis
of the wooden pallet pointing towards the viewer and the colorful tent tarps made
for a powerful photo.
Technical Data: Shot using Fuji NPH, and a 17-35 mm lens
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Do the mysterious reflected objects in the
photo make you wonder what this is all about? If so, Stephen Voss succeeded in the first job of the
photographic artist, to make you look more. In this age of hurry and hype
it is refreshing to encounter an artist with a clear vision and lenses.
Voss is an articulate, self-reflective photographer who cares deeply about the people
and images as well as the abstract designs of form and light he creates with his
camera. He demonstrates a remarkable range of insight and skill in his material,
an achievement for an artist of any age let alone in one as young as he. He is a
transplant from the East Coast who has quickly established roots into the fertile
soil of the Northwest art and design scene. With a degree in computer science, I
wonder where Voss developed such a keen design aesthetic but the answer lies in his
history. He has been taking pictures most of his life. As Imogine Cunningham said,
train your eye, take pictures every day, even if you only have a Brownie. It seems
Voss took her advice, although I think he may have never had a Brownie. He is patient,
often waiting for just the right shot at the right moment. And he is very much in
love with the camera, his enthusiasim honed to a zen-like knowing the right moment.
The following is a sampler of Stephen Voss' work: his outdoor, editorial and
documentary subjects, all with Voss's own comments (and technical details for fellow
photographers). Visit Stephen
Voss's web pages for more information on his photography
and his outstanding web designs. He is an photo artist and web designer to follow.
This image is from the Sea Lion exhibit at the Oregon Zoo. I had
taken a number of pictures of just the sea lions, but realized that the people standing
in front of the glass made for compelling silhouettes. After waiting for about twenty
minutes, this little boy walked right down in front of the glass and made this shot.
Technical Data: Shot using a Canon D30 and 70-200mm lens.
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I made this image on a hike down to Short Sand Beach, a secluded
beach in Oswald West State Park. In order to capture the movement of the water, I
scrambled over some rocks to get in the middle of the stream, and used a long shutter
speed to blur the motion of the water.
Technical Data: Shot using Fuji Velvia, 35mm film, and a 17-35mm lens.
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Longwood Gardens is a world-renowned garden conservatory located
near Philadelphia. While there were many landscape shots to be made, I found that
focusing on the smaller plants and delicate flowers made for the best pictures. I
bounced a light off the ceiling in order to highlight the purple flowers shape.
Technical Data: Shot using Fuji Velvia, 35mm film and a 100mm macro lens.
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I came across these mushrooms on a rainy day along the Oregon Coast.
I mounted my camera on a tripod about 8 inches off the ground and focused on the
center of the mushroom to the far left. A fill flash was used to illuminate the brilliant
colors of these mushrooms without lighting up the background.
Technical Data: Shot using Fuji Velvia, 35mm film, and a 17-35mm lens.
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