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In the early 1960s I was fortunate to be exposed to works by Edward Curtis, Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham, Dorothea Lang and Edward Steichen.  The quality and emotion of their images struck a chord within me and captured my attention which continues to this day.  While each of them used different approaches and differing subject matter, there was a consistency in their photographs; the truth of capturing an image as it existed and let that image convey the emotion as was visualized in the photographer's mind at the time.  My imagery stems from their influences and the more traditional use of the medium; via composition, exposure, processing and cropping versus chemical alteration, differing materials or composite mosaics.  I was trained as a Naval Photographer through basic and advanced schools utilizing cameras ranging from 35mm to 8x10 view cameras as well as in all processing and printing systems.  I gauge a successful image in two ways.  First, does the final image/print represent what I had visualized in my mind before I released the shutter?  Second, and equally (if not more) important, is does the final image/print result in it being a photograph that draws the viewer in and to look deeper; if only for a moment?  To have a final photograph that can prove successful with both of these criteria is extremely satisfying. 

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The galleries contained herein are separated between black & white and color imagery with sub-sets of varying subject matter.  A significant number of the images were shot on Kodachrome, Ektachrome & Fujichrome color slide film or Ilford, Kodak & Agfa black & white film.  In addition, more recent images are also through the use of digital cameras, which can now deliver high quality images.    

 

I am proud to be a member artist of the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, CA, Royal Photographic Society and British Institute of Professional Photography in London, UK.

 

"There are two people in every photograph; the photographer and the viewer"

 Ansel Adams  

 

© 2025 Jim Kessler Photography

Boxcar Productions

(All Rights Reserved)

 

Window Screen, Self Portrait, 2011_edite
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