My name is Stuart McCallum. I have been a photographer
most of my life. I photograph because it connects me to
something greater than myself. The act of creating a two
dimensional, essentially abstract interpretation of reality, is in
itself a process of discovery. Those who look at the world
through a rectangular viewfinder, and see things primarily
from that perspective, are engaged in an exercise of very
focused seeing. This seeing becomes exquisitely fine tuned
after years of practice. Eventually one's vision becomes so
sensitized that levels of seeing develop, allowing the
practitioner to gain a degree of insight into the essential
nature of the subject being photographed. When this
occurs, it is a direct result of the photographer's ability to see
below the surface of things, and at times, into the very heart
of what drew his or her attention.
Edward Weston said that when he photographs a rock, it is a
rock, but it is more than a rock. I could not say it better. I
adopt his philosophy in my work, and always seek to convey
the profound and essentially transcendent experience that
the practice of photography can become if approached
with openness and honesty. For me, the mere encounter
with a subject and what follows from that is of a meditative
nature.
My primary interest is in the fine art black & white silver based
photograph, and more recently, the archival ink jet print. I
approach both with the same level of commitment and
standards of quality. Both are valid art forms, each with their
own characteristics, each with their own persona and place
within the world of fine photography. Occasionally, when
the Muse beckons, I will choose to work in color. I am fully
conversant with most modern color techniques, having
worked as a professional color printer in commercial labs, but
my medium of choice remains black & white. It may seem a
contradiction that I chose a color image for the opening
page, yet it is with a superb irony that Shinnecock - Summer
is perfectly suited to that purpose. A paradox, indeed.
Extensively represented by regional New York galleries and
museums for the past thirty years, as well as out of state
galleries, my work has been seen in European venues as well,
including a solo exhibition in Dresden. Increasing interest in
my work has seen acquisitions by corporate, museum,
gallery, and private collectors. I was profiled in both Black &
White Magazine and Kaleidoscope Magazine in 2003,
including the cover of Kaleidoscope, and the June issue of
Focus Magazine in 2006. Critical reviews are consistently
favorable, as written in the New York Times: "... elegant
black and white nature studies... delicate and
understated."
Inspired by the West Coast photographers such as Adams
and Weston, I undertook a life long pursuit of the natural
world as subject and the fine print as a statement of my
vision. It is through photography that I seek to bring an
awareness of the beauty which surrounds us all. A silent
snowfall against a stand of pines; rich green beach grass in
the evening light; detail of a beech tree in the rain. These
are some of the objects of my attention.
