About my Photographs.
I began photographing seriously in 1969 when I was still in highschool and have since studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts and International Center of Photography. I learned the art of large format under the tutelage of Michael O'Neill, a well known NYC Commercial Photographer. Currently I do Stock and Freelance photography for Sierra Club Calendars, Audubon Calendars, National Geographic, Brown Trout Calendars, I Love NY, The Nature Conservancy, Mohonk Preserve, and many other clients. My prints are shown and sold by galleries and interior decoraters throughout the country.
Henry Thoreau once said, "I went to the woods to live deliberately, to confront only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived". It seems even harder now in these difficult commercial times to find not just the peace and tranquility that Thoreau found at Walden Pond, but the truth in what he was seeking. Although I have been influenced by many photographers, my own particular Mentor was Ansel Adams. His images were never merely "pretty", they seemed to capture the spirit of the place. His images were a way of life. I have learned patience, sensitivity to light and shadow, and craftsmanship from studying Adam's work.
I am most interested in capturing the natural environs in dramatic yet subtle circumstances; mist, rain, sleet, snow, or ice storms when the mood and quality of light is intensified. I use large and medium format cameras always on a tripod. Although these systems are time consuming and heavy to carry, the clarity and their ability to capture texture and detail makes using them a must for my work. They also force me to work slowly and patiently so that I really "see" what I am photographing.
I strongly believe in the artistic value of my photography, so I go to some length to promote the longevity and archival stability of my prints. I use highly archival pigmented inks on an acid free premium luster double weight paper which is remarkably stable and highly resistant to fading. Tests done by Wilhelm Imaging Research rate this media at 100-150 years before any noticable fading occurs. All prints are cold mounted on acid free ph neutral archival quality foam core with an acid free ph neutral glue. They are matted with museum quality cotton rag board. I do all my own printing, mounting, matting, and framing to assure the artist's control from start to finish.
For these reasons I can guarantee my prints against fading during my lifetime.
Hardie Truesdale |
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