Spooky Show Opening at Lightbox Photographic in Astoria

My picture is in the front window (center)

The opening reception for the fourth annual Spooky Show took place on Saturday at Lightbox Photographic in Astoria, Oregon. When I arrived, I was happy to see my print hanging in the front window.

"Aquarium" 2012

Just as I thought, there was really nothing like it in the show. Most of the work was beautifully done, soft focus work in a variety of alternative printing processes from gelatin silver to wet plate collodion. All of the other works were seen through the camera and developed in a darkroom. Mine was seen in a dream and constructed in Photoshop.

Tom Kittel and his spooky self portrait

I was pleasantly surprised to find the people I met and conversations I had were anything but dreadfully dull. At the beginning of the reception I was chatting with a painter named Phillip who had a row of gold teeth on one side of his grin, and a love of plein air painting. Later, I met Astoria photographer Tom Kittel, who spent many years living in New York, and took photography classes at my alma mater, the School of Visual Arts. Tom was the only other artist living in Oregon whose work was in the show. 

Detail of "Aquarium" - is that Little Boo in the background?

This year's Spooky Show was juried for the first time, and Russell Joslin of SHOTS Magazine selected just 20 photographers and 27 images from nearly 60 photographers who submitted over 250 images. I was impressed by that. You could tell it was selective just by looking at the work. And all of it is available for purchase, by the way!

Detail of "Aquarium" - this guy has a bug in his throat!

Among the group, "Aquarium" may stand out for being unusual, but for some reason it also fits in. I think it's because the piece, while very offbeat and a little spooky, is still beautiful. A nice variety of images, all hauntingly beautiful. For more information including a gallery of all images in the show, click here.