‘Shades of Gray’
Photo show illustrates impact of black and white images
Shadows, light and shape advance when color is absent.
When LeRoy Perea launched the annual “Shades of Gray” black-and-white photography show last year, he was overwhelmed by 420 entries. He would have been happy to receive half the responses.
“It was the biggest show I ever put on in eight years,” the founder of the Annual New Mexico Photographic Art Show said. “Years ago, when digital started coming out, black-andwhite shrunk somewhat because the equipment wasn’t conducive to making black-and-white images.”
The right software appeared about five years ago. Today the exhibition is the largest of its kind in the Southwest.
This year’s “Shades of Gray” is on display in the Fine Arts Gallery of Expo New Mexico through Dec. 27. The exhibition and sale drew 375 entries from 146 artists. Jurors accepted 228 images. The photographs include portraits and landscapes.
“I love the fact that it’s fantasy,” Perea said. “People say, ‘I love that pure blackand-white look.’ The truth is, it’s not pure. Humans don’t see in black-andwhite.
“You can see the content, but the tones are something we can’t see, so it’s new to us.”
Perea tells his three judges to look for impact.
“If people stop in their tracks to look at it; that’s impact,” he said.
Bill Klein’s “Carpenter” is a luminous portrait of an older, bearded man.
“He really has character,” photographer and former ANMPAS juror Janet Worne said.“You get a feel of who he is, what he might be like to talk to. The lighting is really beautiful.”
“Ferillo” by Harriet Neal shows every line, muscle and wrinkle of a highly dignified horse.
“It’s uber-sharp,” Worne said. “I like the background –– the texture of the background against the silky hair.”
Marie Fullerton’s “Just Buddy and
Me” take a humorous spin with a man sitting in the rain as he shelters his dog with an umbrella.
“That shows some emotion,” Worne said. “That speaks to a lot of people, not to mention dogs are great. Humor is a quick way to connect with people. You’re not looking at the lighting as much as you’re looking at the moment.
“Black-and-white just distills everything down to the base emotion. Color sometimes gets in the way.”