Phillip Windell will speak on

"Into the Rabbit Hole - An Image Journey"

Digital Imagers Meeting

Sunday December 2, 2007 at 1:15, Pitt Scaife Hall, Room 1102

The art of seeing beyond what the eye takes in.
The camera intrigues me as a tool that can assist in seeing more, seeing beyond, seeing beneath, seeing through the "reality" that presents itself to our naked eyes.

BIOGRAPHY

I have been seriously capturing images for nearly forty years. Beginning with my time in West Africa with the Peace Corps, I have been enthralled with the process of focusing light and fixing images on light-sensitive materials; of “capturing the moment.” As I gained more experience, I became enthralled with the ability of the camera to “see beyond what the eye takes in.” By selective framing, the use of reflections and by changing settings and filters, the camera can help transport us through and beyond the “bery moment” into the eternity that lies at the heart of human aspirations.

Largely self-taught, I have received guidance from a number of artist friends and personally studied the work of some of the great photographers. I have paid particular attention to the great street photographers (Atget, Brassai, Brandt, Cartier-Bresson, Evans, Hine, Koudelko, Lang) and art photographers (Steiglitz, Steichen) and the work produced under Roy Stryker at the Farm Security Administration and the documentation of Pittsburgh’s Renaissance in the 1950’s.

In 1971, I was among the early members of the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Association where I learned still darkroom techniques and the basics of studio lighting. In late 1972, I staged a performance of my slide-movie, “Push.” I subsequently moved to super 8 motion picture film and made several films in the medium, including “How to Beautify the Ghetto,” a short film with a modicum of corporate sponsorship that was made for the Homewood Brushton Neighborhood Association.

My work may be seen at:

www.photosbyphillipawindell.com