“Form & Color: It’s Wild Out There” Photography by Dave Strauss

Opening Reception Saturday, September 16, 2017, 3:00-5:00pm

Exhibit open through January 14, 2018.

Artist Statement – “Although I engage in many kinds of photography, most of my recent images isolate single creatures, people, or other elements for careful inspection with minimal distraction from foregrounds or backgrounds. In addition to conventional single-frame photography, I often combine multiple images into composites, sometimes described with questionable optimism as “fine art” photography.

My best wildlife photographs result from fortunate combinations of 1) trial-and-especially-error, 2) long waits for uncooperative creatures to move into better light, 3) excellent but rather heavy photographic equipment, and 4) good luck. I’m not the first to have noticed that careful planning, much more experience, transcendental patience, and still better equipment seem to engender better luck. During a critique long ago, a famous UC Berkeley professor of design & architecture advised me to “get closer” – it was good advice.

Biography: Dave Strauss was born and raised in Marin County. After getting a BA in Design from UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design in 1970, he worked in computer systems, industrial automation, and electronics industries until retiring in 2013. Dave has been an enthusiastic photographer since his childhood: “My first camera was a Kodak Brownie. I often wandered the quiet woods adjacent to San Rafael. I was fascinated by bugs, snakes, trees, squirrels, rabbits, spiders, and lizards, so watched them carefully.” While he has made tens of thousands of photographs throughout his life, he re-engaged seriously and professionally with photography after retiring. He specializes in wildlife, studio portraits, editorial and advertising photography for periodicals, biological/paleontological research specimen imaging, and fine art capture. He has a studio in Oakland.

The Heron Hall Art Gallery at the Laguna Environmental Center exhibits multiple shows per year of nature-themed art, sales of which supports the educational and conservation efforts of the Foundation. Heron Hall is open Monday through Friday 9am-5pm, but because of the various uses of the hall, please call in advance to ensure it will be open for viewing the art, 707-527-9277, ext. 110.
For more information, see www.lagunafoundation.org,

The Heron Hall Art Exhibits webpage: http://www.lagunafoundation.org/learning_art-exhibits.html,
Or contact Anita Smith, Public Education Manager, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation