John A. Benigno -- Artist's Statement

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS ON HOME, BIOGRAPHY, HOW TO PURCHASE, EXHIBIT SCHEDULE, LINKS AND CONTACT ME PAGES.
 
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Perhaps, because much of my work tends towards realism, my photographs often are described as traditional. In fact, many of my primary influences come from the writings and works of Porter, Feininger, Steichen, and Strand, to name a few.

While I welcome a comparison to the past, realism is merely a means to an end. Rather, I believe that my artistic vision is driven more by my background in the social sciences, especially anthropology and history, than by my great admiration for photography's early masters.

 

"Old Mill," copyright, August, 1997

My real interest is to create images that capture timeless moments in the landscape, and, if the land has been touched by man, to stimulate curiosity about how, when and why.

The key is to look, not label. For, who knows what you might see, and what pleasures you may take away from the experience.

Recent landscapes, however, seem to be influenced by form rather than content. For me, simplifying composition makes a more intimate statement about time and space. This exploration inspired me to return to the studio, and my White Flower photographs are the fruits of this labor.

For me, photography is self-taught. I work in black-and-white because it concentrates on light, form and texture; leaving reality and content to the viewer's imagination.

I take great care and pride in presenting my work. Each negative is printed by hand and limited to an edition of 25 prints, plus five artist's proofs. I use fiber-based paper because its high silver content produces the widest range of tones from total black to pure white.

The final print is toned to add new depth and life to the image. This has the added benefit of making the photograph less vulnerable to oxidation over the years.

Unlike my other work, the Adobe Church series is tea stained. This is done to exacting archival standards and gives the finished photograph the look and feel of a photo gravure print, which was a popular method of reproduction in the early part of the 20th Century.

I hope you will visit one of my gallery pages listed below or return to my Home Page for additional background information.
 
"Shadow and Leaf Study," copyright, October, 1992
 
 
Click on the links below to learn more about my background and my art; and to see portfolios of my work.
 
 
 
"Store Front, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia," copyright, August, 2001
 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS ON HOME, BIOGRAPHY, HOW TO PURCHASE, EXHIBIT SCHEDULE, LINKS, AND CONTACT ME PAGES.

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