Expressive fine art photography from around the world
Wide Awake Photography
Images by Paul E Mongillo
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Documentary Photography
Environmental Portraits
A successful environmental portrait captures the rhythm, simplicity and feel of everyday life. Photographer and subject must find commonality and reach some degree of connection. This almost always requires eye contact. The obvious relationship between photographer and subject is what makes environmental portraiture so compelling and finding it without the luxury of a common language is a most rewarding experience. I don't just "take" an environmental portrait, the subject must be willing to "gift" it to me.
Wildlife and nature photography can be quite mesmerizing to view, but it has never had much of a pull for me as a means to create art. The long expensive lenses and patience required to properly photograph many species of wildlife have done little to coax me in that direction. However, I completely respect this as an art form and I do take advantage of photographing flora and fauna (whether living or dead) when the occasion arises. I guess you can say I'm simply an opportunist when it comes to photographing plants and animals.
Performance is an individual or group creating something fleeting or solid for the artistic enjoyment of others or in some cases only for the individual or group performing.The breadth of this is hopefully displayed in my selection of photographs. I would like to elaborate on the presence or absence of an audience with an example. Marta Becket, a successful ballerina in New York City, moved to Death Valley Junction, California in 1962. From 1968 until being confined to a wheelchair at 87, Marta performed each week in the Amargosa Opera House, whether an audience was present or not.