Blogfinger

By Paul Goldfinger, Photography Editor @Blogfinger.net     2014.

In 2014, The Open Shutter Gallery in Durango, Colorado was showing the work of two photographers whose images I like.  One is an Austrian, while the other is American.

Josef Hoflehner

Josef Hoflehner is an Austrian born photographer  (b. 1955) who is known around the world for his landscapes. He has published 15 photo books.

One of his projects is called the “Jet Airlines Series.”   These images of airplanes flying low over a Caribbean beach in St. Maartin are all shot in black and white.

The images are overexposed producing that bright whiteness without much shadings of black and white, but that is his style.  It is, of course, dramatic to see these low flying airplanes causing beachgoers to run for cover, but it is not trick photography.

Those who visit St. Maartin are quite familiar with these events at their beach, but Hoflehner has become famous sharing them with the rest of the world.

The “Giraffe”  is by Pete Turner (below)

Pete Turner, an American photographer (1934-2017)  became famous with his use of super-saturated colors as in this famous image  “The Giraffe.”   Sometimes he changes the colors.

In 1967 this image attracted a great deal of interest at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  His “other-worldly” themes have been used as covers for music albums, especially jazz.

Nikon said this about Turner,  “There is a signature Pete Turner image, one built on saturated color and bold graphics. Then you figure out that although he is legendary for his mastery of color, there is much more than color going on in a Pete Turner photograph. There are themes and stories. And there are mysteries.”

A music album that used a Turner giraffe print is by Antonio Carlos Jobim and is called “Wave”  The colors are green and blue.

ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM   “Wave.”