Photography at the Poles

Art Event 3
Location: Balboa Park
SDNHM: Odover Gallery
Date: February 23, 2008

At the Odover Galley an exhibition called Photography at the Poles was happening. Here photographers focused their talents in capturing the icy poles. Penguins, polar bears, ice rocks, walrus, and arches formed by ice were captured. The icy landscape freezed the atmosphere but yet in a pleasant way. The joy of the three penguins playing and jumping by Ralph Lee Hopkins, will make you smile. Hopkins also photographed the picture above.

Abe Ordover on the other hand had another attempt of capturing the landscape of the poles. He focused on the great sea arches formation, and the defined shapes that they make. One I especially liked was where the ice arc was coming out of the frame, breaking away from it. Over and over he showed the different blue shades the ice makes in his photographs such as Blue World and Blue Ice 613. He also had pictures of penguins. I was struck by a photograph titled "love", a close up image of two penguins. As I look at these photographs, I started to become a little bit jealous. Man, I wonder how it felt to be out there to take pictures of these magnificent animals of the poles. I wonder how the chilly wind felt on their cheeks, and even maybe at times of concentration the chilly weather is forgotten.

There were also two video installation in the exhibition. One was called Shot in the Antarctic by Allan Harley. I find video and photography as a medium that I will be willing to work with. Harley's shots of penguins are joyful to watch. A Colony of penguins seems to be there for one another. Penguins are considered birds that can't fly, but other birds won't be able to survive the cold weather of the Antarctica either.

This exhibition was inspiring. A lot of the pictures were up close, it gives you a chance to take a really good look at these wonderful creations. I remember I did a photography of ducks and geese. I wished I would have focused my camera lens more on them. My hope is to have a better camera someday. This makes me want to take more pictures.