Thursday, February 4, 2010

Sallaway



As you know, I have a lot of photographer friends. Who is the better of them would be impossible to determine. Each is talented in their own way. All seem incredibly talented to my simple eye. Kim Sallaway is an outstanding photographer. I've gone to a few photography shows before, like the exhibit at the Humboldt County Fair. I never seem to agree with the judges as to who is the best, so I'm not sure if my taste is so much better than the judges, or worse. But, just like all critics, I know what I like.

The thing that I always notice about Kim Sallaway's photography is that I can never just glance at one of his photos and move on. I always seem to stare at them a while, and see where it will take my eyes. I put a few up here for you. See if you can see what I mean.

The top photo is a picture of Shelter cove from the north. I was so fascinated by the sunlit green wave with the foam on the top, that I called him to see if he had photo-shopped it. He assured me that it was a “Straight up, straight shot. No photo-shop”. If you place your hand over the buildings on the left, the wave becomes a grassy mountain with a snow cap. I spent a while doing that. I know that I'm easily entertained, but it amazes me how Kim always seems to evoke my curiosity.

One thing that Kim often mentions is; “We live in the most beautiful place in the world”. He should know he traveled most of it.


Fred "Coyote" Downey. Local Indian Elder


Did it take you a while to look at everything??? I thought so.
This is a link to Kim's photo sight kimbacan.com





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11 comments:

Rose said...

Very, very nice!

Ben said...

I sure like the portrait of Coyote.

ROSS SHERBURN said...

at first glance,i thought the top photo,was a grassy knoll,also!!!had to go back and look several times!

Ekovox said...

Kim is a VERY good photographer. Very impressive.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Eko
Kim probably has some good shots of you, when you opened for Willie Nelson. Want me to check?

Kim captures people at their best like noboby that I've ever seen.

Unknown said...

well said Ernie, Kim's pics make you stare. They all fire on many cylinders! Always love checking your site.

Kimba said...

A couple of thank yous are in order. Thank you for really looking at the images I make. Another bigger thank you for the wonderful feeling I experienced when I read your words. I often wonder which of my photos gets the appreciation, so seeing the selection you published was quite interesting for me.
I am humbled by the comments your selection generated.
It really is a pretty and fantastic place we live here in SoHum.
I love reading your blog entries, Ernie. I learn, while I feel that my friend is talking to me, telling me the way it was back then, when dirt was the way, and the world hadn't yet caught up with people's lives 200 miles north of San Francisco.

Robin Shelley said...

Beautiful photography. Nice stories. Thanks, Kim.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Kim
Thank-you for the thank-you. In my selection I tried to choose a human portrait that showed your ability to capture “the person”. I can’t think of a better photo than the one of “Coyote”. It is said that in days of yore that the Indian people didn’t want to have their picture taken for fear that the camera would capture their soul. The photo of Fred Coyote Downie certainly proved that to be true.

The next choice of the flowers was to show your ability to capture natural beauty. The next few photos was to show your fondness for whimsy. And... Who could resist the calf-shot with the halo backlight. The last, of the landscape, was to show your eye for finding “the spot”.

However, to choose any photos over another would be impossible, I find something to lose myself in every time I go through your albums. People should know that your online albums are just a small portion of your life’s work.

Some of my favorite photos are the ones that you sent me of your most recent trip to the coast. I have to admit that I somehow deleted them while cleaning up my mail. Could you send them to me again? Pretty please?

Aside:
I didn’t say all of these things to embarrass Kim but to encourage the gentle readers to view Kim’s website. There are some photos that are not within the realm of the accepted norm. If you are not used to that kind of thing, I think that it is a fine time to open you minds, and see the artistry that Kim finds in very unusual places. Places that some of us might not find ourselves. Have a fun vicarious experience at Kim’s expense.

spyrock said...

great pictures kim. i'm related to some downeys. my cousin jerry ann was married to one. her son little mel downey tried to go up to spyrock to see if our side of the family had any rights to the land up there. of course, he got run off like everyone else.
some pictures speak a thousand words. you can see both the indians and the pioneers in his face. i met a truck driver at work the other day who was still speaking like they did in 1860. its rare to see a wylackie john type person still out there.

February 7, 2010 11:32 PM

e. said...

That Shelter Cove photograph is amazing.