When John Preston looks through the lens of his camera, he sees and feels something beyond the patterned bark of an oak tree or the rippling of green grass.
What drew me was the connection I was able to feel with nature as I was on my own, wandering through woods somewhere trying to take in what was being offered to me and what I was able to capture with the camera, said Preston, who has been shooting mostly nature photography for 20 years, specializing in macro or close up shots.
Preston forms his own relationship with his photographs, and snapping shots is often a personal moment for him, but he said he also likes to see how what others see or feel when they view his work.
`I like to see their reaction and whether they see the same things I see. Especially doing macro work, it will kind of lead to more abstract work,` said Preston. `I see and find significance in certain things, so to have other people see it, see their take on it, is interesting. I enjoy sharing something that brought me satisfaction and hope it gets passed on to other people.`
Preston, a kindergarten teacher in Saratoga Springs, will allow others to experience his photos at two venues this month. The Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library will display work from its Digital Photography Club for all of May as part of Saratoga Art Council’s `Art in Public Places` exhibition. Preston’s work will also appear in the gallery on the second floor of the Jonesville Store in Clifton Park.
The Digital Photography Club first got together around the end of 2008, bringing amateur and semiprofessional photographers out of the woodwork to gather and share a common hobby. Preston is one of the founding members and said the club meets on the first and third Thursday of each month to swap techniques, samples and offer critique.
`The goal is to share a common interest as well as help each other grow and improve,` said Preston. `We have people who range from just been given their first digital camera and don’t know how to use it beyond turning it on, and other people who have been photographing for 50 or 60 years.`
This diversity in both skill and style is what led to the club’s first art display last year. It was so successful that the library specifically saved the same block of time this year, so they could do it again.
The Jonesville Store’s gallery is somewhat of a secret, mostly discovered through word-of-mouth since the building is best known as a restaurant. Keeping with the local and homegrown attitude the restaurant abides by, co-owner Jean Travis said transforming the upstairs to a gallery for local artists was second nature for her.
`It’s pretty much a loft upstairs it dates back to 1850 and we’re not about to change anything structurally. We can’t put seating upstairs because of fire code so it seemed logical the space is so bright and airy and is really screaming for something like this. People walk around and hang out up there and has brought good traffic for the restaurant,` said Travis.
The gallery started showing on Feb. 1 and each show spans six weeks. Now into its third batch, the `bubbly and brownies` opening reception is Sunday, May 23, from 1 to 3 p.m.
`There’s been incredible talent, all ages, from extremely professional to the amateurish in any body of work. People just need a place to put their stuff out there and get some confidence,` said Travis, an artist and recently retired humanities studio art teacher. `This is in my blood kids are involved by learning gallery etiquette. It’s like a big family and a very eclectic mix; potters, painters, photographers.`
Preston is displaying one of his favorite pieces at the Jonesville gallery: Keith, named after his best friend.
`I was in the middle of the woods photographing something on top of a fallen log. I was shooting and shooting and stepped back to regain perspective when something on the side of the log caught my eye, a texturing. I switched what I was doing and really liked what I was able to capture,` said Preston. `I like how you never know what you’re going to find it’s a very special piece because what I was able to show had significance to it but at the same time it was so easy to pass by and disappear with time.`
The Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library exhibition is on the second floor of the library. The Jonesville Store gallery is booked through November, said Travis, but interested artists should still reach out to her at [email protected] or through the Web site www.thejonesvillestore.com.
“
