Come Closer, photograph, Jeff Stroud, Photographic Society of Philadelphia

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia, the third oldest photography society in the world, offers many benefits to its members like educational lectures, field trips and socials.  But, PSoP also has had an ongoing series of photography exhibits for and by its members, their current home is Cafe Twelve, 212 South 12th Street, offering long walls, good light and comfortable accommodations. Cafe Twelve is so big that the society hosts a bi-monthly group show and a solo show.  Jeff Stroud is currently the featured photographer, at the well attended opening reception on January 3, 2012, he spoke about his work.

Pod Lights, photograph, Jeff Stroud, Photographic Society of Philadelphia

“Basically, I’m around Nature all the time, I usually photograph Nature.  So, that’s where I started, with Nature.  That’s what a lot of these pieces are, except for the blueberries, they were sitting on the kitchen counter and sunlight was streaming in the house.  These are old Christmas ornaments, that I thought they were like fifty years old, I’m not sure they’re that old, I just liked them because of the sparkle and the shine of the glass.  The one on the end with the piece of wood has a little vine that sticks out and makes sort of a circle, the strange little vine spirals, look how it wound itself into a circle.  These are old pods, thistle pods I believe, that are catching the light, hanging upside down and this is also some kind of little vine that grows and catches the other trees, it could be grapevine.  The light was just perfect for that little piece of grass growing there.”

Jeff Stroud, Photographic Society of Philadelphia at Cafe Twelve

“I shoot with a Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens.  The prints were made at PhotoLounge (the PSoP sponsor offers society member discounts), it was my first experience there, it was good, they took care of me at the last minute.  I’ve been a photographer for eight years, I started in Easton, NY, 60 miles north of Albany.  I started with an old high end Kodak.com camera.  Originally I got the message that Nature had to be recognized and the best way for me to do that was to take its picture.”

Do you use Photoshop? “I try to use it as little as possible and capture the image in the camera.”  Do you use a macro lens?  “No, I just get really close with a 55mm lens, manual not automatic.  I got a new lens for Christmas, 55 – 200mm.”  From Santa?  Are you showing anywhere else now?  “I have a collection of eleven photos at Galleria Deptford in NJ, that collection is there until the first of February.  I’m working on a collection to be shown in a gallery this Summer.”  Are you shooting against a black background?  “No, this is all outside.  The light was shining in just the right spot.  For instance, this one with the grass was shot at high speed which gave it that shining light, it’s actually outside.”

Learn more about Jeff Stroud at his blog and buy his products at RedBubble.  Learn more about the Photographic Society of Philadelphia:
www.phillyphotosociety.com

http://forum.phillyphotosociety.com/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/phillyphotosociety/

http://www.youtube.com/user/phillyphotosociety

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Photographic-Society-of-Philadelphia

Read DoN‘s reviews of Jeff Stroud‘s photographic exhibition at Galleria Deptford, PSoP photographer Bob Brunin and Karen Schlechter on DoNArTNeWs

Read more about the Photographic Society of Philadelphia on Side Arts and DoNArTNeWs.

Members of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia are welcome to join the Side Arts community of artists with free or premium web pages and access to the Side Arts blog.

DoN Brewer, Contributing Writer, Side Arts

Photographs except where noted by DoN Brewer

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